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Ecosystem Disturbances and Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem Disturbances and Ecosystem Services. Chapter 3. Ecosystem Disturbances. A large part of environmental science is studying what happens when natural or anthropogenic disturbances occur or predicting what will happen when they do. What is a WATERSHED?.

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Ecosystem Disturbances and Ecosystem Services

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  1. Ecosystem Disturbances and Ecosystem Services Chapter 3

  2. Ecosystem Disturbances • A large part of environmental science is studying what happens when natural or anthropogenic disturbances occur or predicting what will happen when they do

  3. What is a WATERSHED? It is an area of LAND that water flows across or through downstream on its way to a stream, lake or ocean. The watershed acts like a funnel collecting all the water within an area into a larger waterway. It is also called a Drainage Basin

  4. Watershed Study- Hubbard Creek • Deforested watershed vs. forested watershed • Take aways: • 1) disturbances in ecosystems disrupt natural cycling and systems • 2) Forests/vegetation are important for accumulation and maintenance of soil nutrients

  5. Case Study- Haiti

  6. Case Study- Haiti • Take aways- • 1) poorer nations often rely on cheaper fuels such as raw or less processed biomass like trees and charcoal • 2) positive feedback loop - - less trees = more erosion = less vegetation • 3) #2 has economic impacts - - less farming, greater impact from natural disasters, less jobs • 4) Finding innovative solutions to environmental issues must strike a balance and must acknowledge the connectivity between the environment, human health and well being, and the economy • -Related story: WangaariMaathaihttp://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai

  7. Resistance vs. Resilience • Resistance – how much a disturbance affects flows of energy and matter • -a disturbance that affects populations and communities but not the flow of energy and matter we say it has high resistance • More biodiversity = greater resistance

  8. Resistance vs. Resilience • Resiliance – how quickly an ecosystem can recover and return to its original state • - more biodiversity = greater resilience • Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis • Take away – the more diverse an ecosystem is the better off it is! • Restoration Ecology – studies how to reverse effects and restore original ecosystem services • EX: wetland remediation

  9. Ecosystem Services • Ecosystems provide all of our essential needs: clean water, shelter, clean air, etc. • Instrumental value – value based on if the entity can be useful, act as a tool, or provide a service. • Can often associate a monetary value with it • EX: Water purification • Provisions • Regulating services • Support services • Resilience • Cultural Services • Intrinsic value – moral value or benefit

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