Unit 2 Theoretical basis of environmental science Chapter 8 Ecological environment

1. Unit 2 Theoretical basisof environmental science Chapter 8 Ecological environment Professor Liu Jingling School of Environment, Beijing Normal University jingling@bnu.edu.cn

2. lastest news search • There are 1350,000 items are searched form Google • Environmental and Ecological Education Website • Environmental and Ecological Education Websiteof Chinawww.eedu.org.cn/searchEnvironment, ecological, resources, environmental protection, technology, sustainable, green GDP, wetland -more • Environmental and Ecological Education Websiteof Taibeiwww.dortp.gov.tw/rdortp • Ecological environment 9,560,000 items • Ecological environment research center9,480,000 items • Ecological environment website 5,760,000items • Ecological environment construction 1,640,000items • Ecological environment planning 7,720,000 items • Ecological environment periodical 1,280,000 items School of Environment, Beijing Normal University

3. JinLan environmental ecology [M]. Beijing: Higher education press, 1992, 5. Lu Mingzhong. China's environmental ecology - The primary research on the relationship between China's population, economic and ecological environment [M].Beijing: Meteorological press, 1994. Ge Jianxiong. The living space of future [M].Shanghai: Sanlian bookstore, 1998. Cheng Lianxi. Environmental ecology. M]. Beijing: Higher education press, 2002 • Environmental ecology---the study content of environmental ecology • From the subject system, environmental science----environmental ecology • The subject division of modern ecology, applied ecology---environmental ecology • It is a emerging and strong comprehensiveness subject • Applied ecology theory is subject studies the internal change mechanism, of ecosystem under the man-made disturbace, discipline and positive effect for human, seeking the recovery of damaged ecosystem, reconstruction and protection measures. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University

4. Environmental ecology is a emerging interdisciplinary subject, its content and system are in the process of gradual development, and its study content including the following aspects （1 ）Reasonable utilization and protection of natural resource. （ 2 ）The biology effect of environmental pollution. （ 3 ）The comprehensive treatment of environmental pollution. （ 4 ）The monitoring and detection of environmental pollution. （ 5 ）The influence of environmental pollution on structure and function of ecosystem. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University

5. Main content 8.1 The role and status of environmental ecology. 8.2 Basic theory and principle of ecosystem. 8.3 The influence of disturbance on ecosystem. 8.4 Restoration ecology theory 8.5 Ecology system management 8.6 Case study

6. Questions and discussion • What do you think the most principles of ecology? Do you know the important expression of ecology for environmental science and engineering? • Please take examples what ecology theory and method are used in the process of environmental problems resolution?

7. 8.1 The role and status of environmental ecology 8.1.1 Environmental ecology In order to provide new ideas for the ecology damage and environmental problem, it studies the problems such as change mechanism, discipline and restoration measure of damaged ecosystem. 8.1.2 Study content The feedback effect of ecosystem internal change mechanism on human disturbance, the science seeking ecosystem restoration, reconstruction and protective measure.

8. The water loss and soil erosion of loess plateau accounts for 38% the land square of China The original beautiful Ke Er Bi grassland has become the largest desert of China B D C A The excessive forestation trees in Taihang Mountain results in quick extinction of animal and plant The excessive grazing of yak in the source of Changjiang River results in the degradation of vegetation. Figure 8-1 Ecological environmental degradation caused by human disturbace

9. 8.2 The theoryof ecological system 8.2.1 Ecosystem It was firstly proposed by England ecologist: A.G.Tansley in 1935. • Definition: the uniform unity that formed by gradual progressing material circulation and energy flotation that all the biology lived in certain space are. • Function: biology generation, material circulation and information transmission • Structure is the basis of function, structure and function is mutually co-exists, restricted and transformed. • The inherent quality: feedback(such as self-control)

10. The development and extension of concept • R.L.Lindeman（1950） When human are studying the ecosystem of lakes, they are inspired by the sayings of Great trees keep down the little ones, proposing the conception of food chain. And he proposes ecological pyramid theory inspired by sayings that one mountain can not survive two tigers. Fosberg(1963) • There is one or more biology organism and environment composing the system with function and interaction, including its space relations, nature characteristic, habitat and ecological niche, its organism and storage, input, output and behavior. • Poluni and Woethington（1990）proposed that eco-compound was mostly used in system with big effect and weak conformability. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University

11. Discussion on the concept • He Yunlong; Wang Linhe; Zhang Guosheng（Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, editorial department email. the second issue of 2008 key words： ecosystem; concept; level;subject：Discussion about the concept of ecosystem • Ecosystem has become one of the most important conceptions in ecology study, but it has different connotations due to different researchers, study object and so on, it uniformly uses definition of Tansly in expression, enables one ecosystem represent different definitions. In order to make clear the connotation and denotation of ecosystem, this article uses the form logic and set theory as the tools, combining the species relations between ecosystem and general system, it summarizes the application example of ecology and deepening analyzes conceptions such as environment, boundary and so on, so it can not clearly express study object. In the aspect of individual, population, community, landscape, biosphere, the ecosystem is not existed, they are the denotation of ecosystem, ecosystem that is ecology system, the study object of ecology is ecosystem, it can not integrate environment into e ecosystem, although ecosystem can not separate itself from environment and independently survives. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University

12. The fundamental feature of ecosystem There are 4 main compositions in ecosystem. That is in-animates environment, producers, consumers and decomposers. （1）In-animates environment including: climate element, inorganic matter, organic matter. （2）producers It mainly means green plants; they are taking the leading role in ecosystem. （3）consumers Heterotrophy, mainly means various biology living on other organisms, including herbivore animals, carnivorous animals, omnivorous animals （4）decomposers Heterotrophy, mainly are bacterium and fungi, also including some protozoans and corrosive animals such as earthworm, termite, vulture and so on. They decompose the residual body, excrement and each complicated compound of animals and plants, absorbing decomposition product, and decompose the simple organism into simple inorganic matter, while the participation of inorganic matter into material cycling can be reused by autotrophy.

13. The construction and function of ecosystem • construction： It means morphological structure (the time and space change of species group) and nutrient structure (food chain/net, ecological niche). • function ： It means energy balance, material balance and information transmission • types： The classifications of natural ecosystem, classification of compound ecosystem and classification of environmental problem.

14. Pattern, process and scale of landscape • pattern： It includes unit types of landscape, trees and space arrangement, configuration. It has equation type, random type and aggregation type. • process： It stresses the behavioral characteristics of ecology process, such as species group trends, species succession, material cycling and energy flotation, etc • scale： When studying, the adopted time and space unit.

15. grade biosphere landscape ecosystem community time species individual Slow behavior process resolution fall organ /tissue 空间 cells complexity 8.2.2 Complex ecosystem theory • The level theory of ecosystem: it studies the time and space lamination structure. • Level difference of high and low level: time and space, complexity, resolution ratio and process ratio. Figure 8-2 The level and behavior of ecosystem（quoted from Cai Xiaoming，2000）

16. 8.2.3 Biodiversity

17. 图8-3 生物多样性是人类宝贵的财富

18. 北京师范大学环境学院

19. Biodiversity ★ Biodiversity is refer to the biology, the ecology compound body that biology depends on as well as the total sum of diversity and variability. It is one of the most important content enables environment become diverse. ★ Biodiversity is the basic character of living system. Living system includes many aspects, from microcosmic to macroscopic; each aspect has diversity, now many studies are focus on the following: Genetic diversity Species diversity Ecosystem diversity Landscape diversity

20. Biodiversity theory ☆ It is developing from biology evolution theory, the biology geography of biology diverse distribution. Both are related and have the tendency to comprehensively develop into ecology theory, it provides theory basis to environmental science and engineering. ☆ It reflects the nature of geography space difference, such as circle layer, land and sea, the differentiation of land and sea. The geography commonly divides geography differentiation into zonality, regionality, regional, local, locality, and micro-zone and so on. It has provided

21. Questions and thinking • The value of biology diversity?! • The value of ecology? • The value of environment? • The value of biology diversity in city? • How to protect biology diversity in city? City development and protection??

22. Figure 8-4 The percentage of economy and profit provided by biology diversity to human economic society. （quoted from Cai Xiaoming）

23. Thevalue ofbiodiversity Direct value: it is the biology resource and industry raw material used by human. Indirect value: important compositions that can adjust climate stabilize hydrology; protect solid, aesthetics, tourism resource. Two types of value： Two views ： The diversity caused the stability The diversity is irrelative to stability even positive relative Rivet assumption: specie of ecosystem has the same important function. Redundancy assumption: the function of species is different; some species have big overlapping in ecology function. Two assumptions ：

24. Gree card：the index and measure of diversity • α: the index of diversity: much and less of species in community, that is the richness of species; the relative density of community, that is uniformity of community.Such as • The index of specie richness, Simpson index and Shannon-Wiener index. • β: the index of specie richness: the specie succession degree according to change of gradient environment. The little common species in different community, the more diversity of β.Such as • Whittaker index and Cody index. • γ:diversity index: the total specie diversity of regions, it is measure by the richness of species

25. 8.2.4 The succession of ecosystem • Definition: As time goes by, the structure of ecosystem will also change. • Community regularity, direction study is the argumentation focal point. • Reason of occurrence: the migration, distribution of plant vegetative form and mobility of animals, the change between and within species, the disturbance of human activity. • The resource ratio theory of Tilman plays an important role in explaining the succession of ecosystem(1985). • Succession theory of ecosystem: unit climax theory, poly-climax theory and climax-pattern hypothesis.

26. The resource ratio theory of Tilman thinks: The change of resource ratio finally results in the change of components of community species, that is resource ratio determines the succession process of ecosystem, resource controls biology flora, biology reversely changes its relying environmental conditions. Including: nutrient, moisture, light consumed by biology. Humidity and temperature are not resource.

27. Unit climax theory: only climate is the determination element of succession, others are the secondary. Poly-climax theory: except for climate, other elements can determine the formation of climax. Climax-pattern: within any regions, environmental elements are gradually changing; it will have gradient change by environmental conditions, each specie of climax community is also successively changing . Multiple succession theory: the succession direction is determined by nature of environmental elements, succession process exists phenomenon multiple channels, that is succession has homoplasy and divergence.

28. Figure 8-5 The succession process of plant under natural conditions（quoted from Cunningham,etc, 2002）

29. 8.3 The theory of disturbance ecology 8.3.1 Disturbance （Disturbance，Perturbation and Stress） connotation： Aspect of ecology element: the discontinuously and intermediately happening elements outside community abruptly interrupts or continually exists the abnormal fluctuation of elements, causes the obvious change of organism or specie group or community, enables ecosystem damage or change the phenomenon. Disturbance of landscape scale means the strongly change of landscape structure and function.

30. It means disturbace of irresistible natural force, it is divided into physical factor (fire, hail, storm, and flood) and biological factor (the distinction of carnivorous animals, pressure relief of graminivorous animals and change in vegetation trend). The geographical area is different and natural inference factors are also different. typesof disturbance • 1.according to the motivation of disturbance • Natural disturbance • Human disturbance • 2.according to the resource of disturbance • Endogenous disturbance • Exogenous disturbance • 3.according to the property of disturbance • destructive disturbance • gain disturbance Due to the disturbance formed by human production activity and other social activity produces each influence on natural environment and ecological environment.Its effect scope, damage intensity; potential harm and induction are far surpass natural disturbance The influence of endogenous factor on ecosystem, for example, the trees dumpage, competition between species in forest ecosystem Outer of system, such as strong hail, flood, storm and salvage,etc. Human activity such as geology, climate disaster, forestation and excessive grazing for a long time Such as reasonable felling, trimming, artificial updating, as well as lower productivity and efficiency forest transformation and so on

31. Ecological significance of disturbance It is useful for disturbace effect can reduce one or several superiority of some species, increase resources for other species; increase the specie diversity, which is useful for the natural succession of system It is useful for system evolution Species in the continually changeable environment can better bear environmental pressure that that in the stable environment, there are species of unstable community have better ability to adapt to environment. Elements maintaining ecosystem balance and stability Moderate grazing that is mild disturbace can facilitate the diversity and productivity of community. Adjustment of ecosystem

32. The connotation of disturbance • disturbance range The space arrange distribution characteristics of disturbace object Of the same space and range or organization level, the frequency time in unit time. • frequency and cycle The energy values presented by disturbace factors when the disturbace happens. Its quantification analysis confirms the detailed unit according to the detailed type of disturbace, it is usually divided into: mild, moderate and severe disturbace. • disturbance intensity The detailed time and time span when disturbace happens, disturbace of different time will produce different disturbace effect, for example, fishing catching, forest felling, the artificial disturbace time is different, so the ecology effect will have big difference. • time scale

33. Disturbance characteristics multiplicity It has influence of many aspects on ecosystem. The same incident, it forms disturbance on ecosystem under some conditions other conditions also have influence. relativity The difference in study scale, the definition of disturbance is also different. For the disturbance incident on ecosystem, it may be normal disturbance in landscape scale. dimension The disturbance result may result in the capability enhancement of heterogeneity; it can not coordinate with the original landscape. incongruity universality It is existed in each scale and each space of nature world.

34. The main form of human disturbance • The felling and reclamation for forest and grassland vegetation. • Pollution(pesticide, life and industry rubbish and so on) • Collection (salvage collection on economic and medical valuable biology resources). • Hunting and catching. • Introduction of alien species.

35. Biological invasion Because human activity intentionally or unintentionally introduces the foreign species into locals, they are quickly growing and generating, which harms the local production and life, change the local environment and bring great harm. Water hyacinth also names as eichhornia crassipes, it is originally produced in South America, one of the harmful grass. It is extensively distributed in river, lake, asexual reproduction speed is very quick, forms the single superior community, blocks up the river channel and fills the lake.

36. ecosystem structure and function Normal operation scope resistance adisturbance degradation resilience brecovery time 8.3.2 Disturbance and ecosystem adjustment Ecosystem has the self-adjustment and recovery ability, but it is very limited, once the interference exceeds the adjustment ability, it will have irreversible damage. Figure 8-6The conception structure reflects ecosystem structure and function on disturbance response

37. 8.4 Restoration ecology theory 8.4.1 Connotation and characteristics of ecological restoration Connotation： The main elements and process in changing the ecosystem degradation, adjust and optimize system order, enables its structure function and ecology potentiality restores to the certain or original level even up to the higher level. 涵盖范围: Protecting the partial regions that are severely interfered. Increasing the land productivity of the degenerated land. Enhancing natural protection value of landscape field Recovering landscape scale and ecological process of partial regions.

38. Type of ecosystems Total area/106hm2 Degraded area /106hm2 Proportion/% farmland 140 28 20 grassland 400 132 33 forest land 165.2 31.2 25 desert 0.130 ―― ―― freshwater surface 0.743 0.245 32 scrapped mine site 2 ―― ―― Figure 8-1 Type and area of degraded ecosystems in China

39. The principle of ecological restoration Principle of regional, difference and zonality Element principle dominated ecological elements. Restrictive and endurance law. Principle of energy flotation and material circulation. Community density restriction and species effect principle Complementation principle of ecological niche and specie Interference principle of boundary effect and ecology succession principle Biology diversity principle Food chain and food net principle Patch-passage—substrate landscape style principle Space heterogeneity principle. Space scale and level theory The principle of geography natural law The principle of ecological restoration and reconstruction The principle of ecology Unity principle Cooperative restoration principle Scattering structure principle Openness principle Controllability principle The principle of statistics The principle of social economic and technology Economy feasibility and sustainability principle Technology operability principle Social acceptability principle Harmfulness principle, minimum risk principle. Combination principle with biology, ecology and engineering technology. Benefit principle Sustainable development principle. Figure 8-7 Basic discipline, theory and principle of ecological recovery and rebuilding （ revised bySheng Lianxi，2002）

40. Figure 8-8 Soil and water conservation and ecological restoration of Loess Plateau B D C

41. 8.4.2 Ecological engineering Characteristics: lower consumption, much profit and sustainable Concerned theory: system theory, engineering theory and ecology theory. Model: conception, letter, physics and math model. Application: effluent and sewage resources disposal, forestry protection, lake eutrophia, aquaculture, land improvement, wasted land development and resource regeneration and so on

42. type of engineering Traditional engineering environmental engineering ecological engineering ecological engineering basic unit Natural and social system Natural and social system Ecological system and landscape cell basic theory engineering science Environmental science Environmental engineering Ecology, environment science and engineering genetics Cell biology basic energy fossil energy fossil energy Renewable energy,such as solar energy fossil energy basic charge a large number a large number Reasonable a large number design features act of man act of man organization which assisted by human act of man control structure arbitrariness pollution source Organism and environment genetical disturbace the relationship with nature damage recooling Coordination, no pollution disturbance biodiversity reduction change maintain or increase change Figure 8-2 Comparisonof ecological engineering and environmental engineering, biology engineering and traditional engineering Notes：quoted from Qin Pei, An Shuqing, Yan Jingsong. Ecological engineering. Nanjing: nanjing university press, 2002

43. option value direct value ecosystem value indirect value intrinsic value 8.5.1 Value evaluation of ecosystem Ecosystem service: the environment conditions and utility human depend on tosurvive four levels four types

44. Value evaluation of ecosystem • In 1997, ecologists such as Costanza carried out evaluation on ecosystem type in the world, concluded that service total value of global ecology was 33200billion dollar/year. • First periodical Chinese Science Bulletin in 2000, thesis publicized by Zhang Xinshi academician in Value of Ecological System in China. He carries out imputation for the service function of China ecosystem, the total value of China ecosystem value is 7783.448 billion Yuan(RMB)/year, accounting for 2.71% of the world.

45. total economic value use value non-use value option value heredity value existence value direct use value indirect use value Direct and indirect use value in furture maintain the use value and non-use value knowledge the continued existence value such as moral faith Direct consumer goods Functional benefits food biomass entertainment health Ecological function Flood control Storm protection Biodiversity Protecting biological environment irreversible living environment living environment endangered species Reduce the tangibility of personal value OCEDeconomic value categorizing systems of biodiversity Figure 8-9 OCED economic value categorizing systems of biodiversity（quoted from Sheng Lianxi，2002）

46. 8.5.2 Management theory of ecosystem Ecosystem management: under the perquisite that fully understand the integrity and complexity of ecosystem, aims at the expected material and product, ecological and social benefit, the management activity according to long time of monitoring result of the key ecological process and important ecological elements(Liao Liping, Zhao Shidong, 1999). Basic principle: integrity, dynamic, regeneration, balance and diversity9environmental ecology, Sheng Lianxi etc, 2002, pp268-274). Difficulty in management: the unexpected incident of ecosystem and different response for disturbance lacking of the ecology model establishment knowledge and principle, data, quality, sampling deviation and fault analysis.

47. 8.5.4 Ecology fragmentation Ecology fragmentation • Form (landscape structure) fragmentation. The reduction in habitat, the complicated plaque shape, increases in boundary effect, reduction in core area square. • Fragmentation in ecology function Ecology environment quality within habitat is decreasing, the element space of natural environment is not matching, the adaptability of environment reduces, there is no obvious change in outer shape, it is easily ignored, now it has attracted the highly attention of ecologist It means due to human factors or environmental change and resulted in larger square natural habitat of landscape is gradually cut and broken or the ecological function is decreasing. Including:

48. Figure of ecology fragmentation

49. School of Environment, Beijing Normal University

50. 8.6 Case study 8.6.1 Environment management in natural protection area （1）Choice and square of protection areas Place choice: the protection area must have enough complicated habitat type; protect key species, especially for the key existence of mutual benefit and mutualism species. Square confirmation: according to the balance hypothesis of ecosystem, the larger square, and the more beneficial for biology diversity. The key point is that ecology characteristics of protected target species. The square of surround ecosystem and that similar to protection area can be much less.