Ecosystems Balancing Science with Management [Paperback]

Ecosystem management has gained widespread visibility as an approach to the management of land to achieve sustainable natural resource use. Despite widespread interest in this emerging management paradigm, Ecosystems: Balancing Science with Management is the first book to directly propose approaches for implementing ecosystem management, give examples of viable tools, and discuss the potential implications of implementing an ecosystem approach. These ideas are framed in a historical context that examines the disjunction between ecological theory, environmental legislation and natural resources management.Ecosystem management has gained widespread visibility as an approach to the management of land to achieve sustainable natural resource use. Despite widespread interest in this emerging management paradigm, Ecosystems: Balancing Science with Management is the first book to directly propose approaches for implementing ecosystem management, give examples of viable tools, and discuss the potential implications of implementing an ecosystem approach. These ideas are framed in a historical context that examines the disjunction between ecological theory, environmental legislation and natural resources management.1 Introduction.- 2 Ecosystem Concept: Historical and Present Review of Definitions and Development of Ecosystem Ecology, Ecosystem Management, and Its Legal Framework.- 2.1 Roots of the Ecosystem Ecology Concept.- 2.2 Roots of Management.- 2.3 Ecosystem Management.- 3 Tools and Knowledge Base Presently Available to Do Ecosystem Management and to Assess Its Success.- 3.1 Overview.- 3.2 Factors Contributing to Ecosystem Scales.- 3.3 Spatial Boundary Considerations.- 3.4 Spatial Scales Overview.- 3.5 Disturbances as Temporal Agents of Ecosystem Change.- 3.6 Parameters Used to Study Ecosystems.- 4 Detecting Resistance and Resilience of Ecosystems.- 4.1 Signs of Ecosystem Degradation and Indicalí