The Report of the Ecological Society of America Committee on the Scientific Basis for Ecosystem Management

Abstract

Abstract. Ecosystem management is management driven by explicit goals, executed by policies, protocols, and practices, and made adaptable by monitoring and research based on our best understanding of the ecological interactions and processes necessary to sustain ecosystem composition, structure, and function.In recent years, sustainability has become an explicitly stated, even legislatively mandated, goal of natural resource management agencies. In practice, however, management approaches have often focused on maximizing short-term yield and economic gain rather than long-term sustainability. Several obstacles contribute to this disparity, including: ( 1) inadequate information on the biological diversity of environments; (2) widespread ignorance of the function and dynamics of ecosystems; (3) the openness and interconnectedness of ecosystems on scales that transcend management boundaries; (4) a prevailing public perception that the immediate economic and social value of supposedly renewable resources outweighs the risk of future ecosystem damage or the benefits of alternative management approaches. The goal of ecosystem management is to overcome these obstacles.Ecosystem management includes the following elements: (1) Sustainability. Ecosystem management does not focus primarily on "deliverables" but rather regards intergenerational sustainability as a precondition. (2) Vol. 6, No.3 goals that specify future processes and outcomes necessary for sustainability. (3) Sound ecological models and understanding. Ecosystem management relies on research performed at all levels of ecological organization. (4) Complexity and connectedness. Ecosystem management recognizes that biological diversity and structural complexity strengthen ecosystems against disturbance and supply the genetic resources necessary to adapt to long-term change.(5) The dynamic character of ecosystems. Recognizing that change and evolution are inherent in ecosystem sustainability, ecosystem management avoids attempts to "freeze" ecosystems in a particular state or configuration. (6) Context and scale. Ecosystem processes operate over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, and their behavior at any given location is greatly affected by surrounding systems. Thus, there is no single appropriate scale or time frame for management. (7) Humans as ecosystem components. Ecosystem management values the active role of humans in achieving sustainable management goals. (8) Adaptability and accountability. Ecosystem management acknowledges that current knowledge and paradigms of ecosystem function are provisional, incomplete, and subject to change. Management approaches must be viewed as hypotheses to be tested by research and monitoring programs.The following are fundamental scientific precepts for ecosystem management.(1) Spatial and temporal scale are critical. Ecosystem function includes inputs, outputs, cycling of materials and energy, and the interactions of organisms. Boundaries defined for the study or management of one process are often inapp...

Deer herbivory affects the functional diversity of forest floor plants via changes in competition‐mediated assembly rules

“…Fences have been reported to be efficient at promoting the regeneration of trees in forests (Shimoda et al 1994;Nomiya et al 2003;Kumar et al 2006), as well as conserving specific species (Fletcher et al 2001;Tamura et al 2005) and vegetation ground cover (Kurten and Carson 2015;Tamura 2015). From the perspective of ecosystem-based management, we envision that establishing fences is not an absolute solution, as the importance of considering natural processes has recently been recognized as essential for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainability of forest ecosystems (Christensen et al 1996;Lindenmayer and Franklin 2002;Mori 2011). While its impact is often of concern in some situations, deer herbivory is also an inherent process that promotes species coexistence and community assembly through the relaxation of competitive relationships among plant species, and this was reaffirmed by our study.…”

Effects of Altered Offshore Food Webs on Coastal Ecosystems Emphasize the Need for Cross-Ecosystem Management

“…Today, most management organizations promote ecosystem-based management (EBM). EBM is an adaptive management approach that focuses on the complexity of interactions within and between ecological and social systems, acknowledging that diversity of species and their traits are important for ecosystem performance and stability (Christensen et al 1996). For coastal societies, EBM is a favorable long-term strategy because it considers multiple ecosystem services and manage the capacity of ecosystems to tolerate disturbances and stress, rather than focusing on one interest group by managing a single function or the production of one species (Christensen et al 1996;Leslie and McLeod 2007).…”

Map of changes in landscape naturalness in the Fiastra and Salino catchment basins (central Italy)

“…Describing and analysing proportional change of different land cover types through time can prove highly valuable, not only for preserving biological diversity, but also for developing general landscape models useful for ecosystem management, environmental policies, and human welfare (Christensen et al, 1996;Franklin, 1993;Jobin, Latendresse, Grenier, Maisonneuve, & Sebbane, 2010). It is thought that landscape changes are driven by complex socioeconomic interactions (Forman, 1995;Irwin & Geoghegan, 2001;Wear & Bolstad, 1998;Zonneveld, 1995), but environmental factors (first of all, physical and bioclimatic ones) often influence land use as well (Blasi, Smiraglia, & Carranza, 2003).…”