Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
of geographic shift in species. But this
shift will be of a magnitude unprece-
dented in recent geological time.
Also, it is assumed that species will
reshuffle en masse, in an orderly man-
ner and that the rate of distribution
change is commensurate with geo-
graphic shifts in habitat. Such com-
paratively rapid (twenty to fifty years)
range adjustments are not entirely out
of the question for mammals (Burns et al. 2003). Nevertheless, all of this
assumes that species will be free to migrate in through the land matrix be-
tween the parks, an assumption that, as discussed in chapter 3, may not be
realistic for many species given the kinds of land development taking place.
There may be further ecological repercussions. As shifting species forge
new ecological relationships with each other and with current park species,
the character of species interactions and fundamental ecosystem processes
stand to become transformed (Burns et al. 2003). For example, an influx of
new species may alter existing competitive interactions and influence
trophic dynamics as predator-prey interactions change.
These considerations of landscape-scale dynamics means that classic con-
servation approaches, which rely almost exclusively on the establishment of
parks and protected areas, will require some serious rethinking. Successful
conservation increasingly requires that we accommodate both human needs
for sustainable livelihoods and the need to protect the
dynamics
of ecologi-
cal systems that play themselves out across landscapes. So, parks and pro-
tected areas need to be viewed as part of a larger portfolio of options. Such
portfolios allow for more flexibility because the specific options exercised
will depend upon local needs for conservation and development.
Successful conservation increasing-
ly requires that we accommodate
both human needs for sustainable
livelihoods and the need to protect
the
dynamics
of ecological systems
that play themselves out
across landscapes.
