introduction to enviroment06.pptVIP

Above, you can see some ESRM100 students working on an ecological restoration project at the Union Bay Natural Area on the UW campus. Restoration of damaged ecosystems is a major new emphasis in environmental sciences and is developing into a new field. Restoration ecology is the science behind the practice of ecological restoration. Restoration involves a combination of human action and natural processes of ecological succession, including recognizing that disturbance, change, and variation in the environment are natural, and ecological systems and species have evolved in response to these changes. When ecosystems are disturbed, they undergo a process of recovery known as ecological succession, the establishment and development of an ecosystem. Knowledge of succession is important in the restoration of damaged lands. During succession, there is usually a clear, repeatable pattern of changes in species. Early-successional species are adapted to the first stages, when the environment is harsh and variable but necessary resources may be abundant. In late stages of succession, biological effects have modified the environment and reduced some of the variability, but also have tied up some resources. Typically, early-successional species are fast-growing, whereas late-successional species are slow-growing and long-lived. Biomass, production, diversity, and chemical cycling change during succession. Biomass and diversity peak in midsuccession, increasing at first to a maximum, then declining and varying over time. Changes in the kinds of species found during succession can be due to facilitation, interference, or simply life-history differences. In facilitation, one species prepares the way for others. In interference, an early successional species prevents the entrance of later successional ones. Life-history characteristics of late-successional species sometimes slow their entrance into an area. * Questions? E-mail your TA. eschelp@ * Lesson 6 / ESRM 100 / Universit