Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
10.4 Conclusion
The ecological and cultural uniformity of the Mediterranean Basin has often been
contested at the regional and local level, where diversification and complexity is
evident (see Vogiatzakis
et al.,
2008). Mountains are a typical example of this com-
plexity as demonstrated in this volume, and decoupling the effects of the compo-
nents contributing to their formation and subsequent shaping is an arduous task.
What makes mountain systems unique is their complexity and scale. Therefore land
use, management and conservation strategies should change in order to incorporate
these elements. Although results of climate model predictions remain uncertain, cli-
mate change will be of overriding significance for future changes worldwide. What
is certain is that climate change will not act alone but in conjunction with other
stress factors, which will further threaten fragile ecosystems such as mountains.
Although monitoring and inventorying are on the increase in the Euro-
Mediterranean countries, they are still limited for many other mountain areas in
the Mediterranean (Kaya and Raynal, 2001). Even the knowledge of species distri-
butions in many cases is poor and incomplete (Vogiatzakis
et al.,
2003; Tvrtkovic
and Veen, 2006). What is yet to be carried out is a concerted and coordinated effort
to account for all the services provided by Mediterranean mountains. Despite the
fact that they are often used as political boundaries between countries, mountain
massifs in physical terms represent a single entity and therefore should be man-
aged as such. Often the state of effort and knowledge is dissimilar on either side
of a mountain massif. In addition there is a need for undertaking Environment
Impact Assessments where development projects affect Protected Areas, and
to ensure their recommendations are enforced and monitored. Generally in
the Mediterranean there is inadequacy of legislation or ineffective enforce-
ment as well as a lack of political commitment to sustainable development,
although there is a divide between countries of the northern and southern
Mediterranean (Vogiatzakis
et al.,
2006).
Future research needs to be coordinated in an interdisciplinary and international
manner to optimize the identification of particularly vulnerable regions and provide
a portfolio of adaptation and mitigation options. Since responses to change, whether
ecological, institutional or social, are non-linear there needs to be a better research
model and decision-making framework for Mediterranean mountains. In the words
of the late Zev Naveh (1987) '
...
a holistic landscape-oriented ecological approach
supporting integrated and dynamic conservation and multi-purpose management'.
References
References marked as bold are key references.
Bayfield. N. (2001) Mountain resources and conservation. In: Warren, A. and French, J.R. (eds),
Habitat Conservation Managing the Physical Environment
. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beniston, M. (2000)
Environmental Change in Mountains and Uplands
. London: Arnold.
