Ecosystem Classification for Environmental Management

When Lovelock published his 'Gaia', it was for many people quite a relief. We would not be able to destroy life on earth. Lovelock illustrated this argument with a wealth of mechanistic feedback processes, as we know them to occur in ecosystems. These feedback processes would, somehow, lead the earth as a whole into a new equilibrium. An equilibrium with life within, be it in an entirely changed environment. This is, indeed, let us be earnest: a functioning ecosystem. But what kind of ecosystem? The Gaia-hypothesis triggered a great deal of thought and discussion about what we actually require as an environment. Bio­ diversity as an abbreviation of biotic diversity has since become the focal point of societal concern. But again, when we think about it, we are not only interested in the sheer number of species on earth. We also have ')ther interests: nearby, in our backyards, in the surrounding countryside, and on the various locations where we would like to spend our holidays. We also want to preserve rare or characteristic species just for their own sake. In fact, we want species in viable populations to be part of communities that are self-maintaining in environments where they belong. We know we cannot ask for this without protecting their environment, which is also our environment. This is where the next fashionable term emerges: sustainability.

The ecosystem is a central concept in modern ecology and is fundamental to sound environmental policy making. Not all ecosystems are equally susceptible to human-induced environmental change, nor do we attribute equal value to all ecosystem types. From a nature conservation point of view we are concerned about the spatial extension of ecosystems and their quality, as well as about their responsiveness and recovery potential. This requires the classification and mapping of ecosystems.
This book treats the why and how of such classification and mapping as a prerequisite to environmentally sound management aimed at sustainability and the preservation of biodiversity. Existing concepts and procedures are modified for modern applications, including susceptibility assessment, environmental quality assessment and monitoring, as well as predictive modelling for environmental impact assessments. These procedures are illustrated by applying them to current environmental problems, such as acidification, eutrophication, changing land use, or groundwater lowering.
Written by a number of renowned landscape ecologists from several West European countries, this book discusses a wealth of theories, concepts, and methods from plant ecology, vegetation science, physical geography, and other environmental sciences composed in such a way to constitute practically applicable tools.
For scientists engaged in applied research and professionals in environmental planning. Graduate students will find it inspiring as well as a source of practical advice.

Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Environmental policy and ecosystem classification....Pages 1-21 Basic principles of classification....Pages 23-47 System ecological concepts for environmental planning....Pages 49-67 The natural hierarchy of ecological systems....Pages 69-83 Spatially nested ecosystems: guidelines for classification from a hierarchical perspective....Pages 85-116 Ecosystem classification by budgets of material; the example of forest ecosystems classified as proton budget types....Pages 117-137 The use of site factors as classification characteristics for ecotopes....Pages 139-172 The application of quantitative methods of classification to strategic ecological survey in Britain....Pages 173-182 A flexible multiple stress model: who needs a priori classification?....Pages 183-198 Ecosystem classification and hydro-ecological modelling for national water management....Pages 199-222 Up-to-date information on nature quality for environmental management in Flanders....Pages 223-249 Monitoring ‘small biotopes’....Pages 251-274 The use of floristic data to establish the occurrence and quality of ecosystems....Pages 275-290 Back Matter....Pages 291-310