Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
processes
unassisted
human-assisted
Reference habitat
Designed habitat
Abandoned habitat
Anthropogenic habitat
Fig. 5.1
Four habitat types (anthropogenic, reference, abandoned, designed) that represent differ-
ent environmental and management contexts of relevance for biotic invasions. The habitats are
arranged according to degree of human influence (unasssisted vs. human-assisted processes) and
relevance for nature conservation (core vs. matrix nature conservation areas). See text for further
explanation
primary management objective is to conserve it in its current state. We use the term
“reference” to indicate that the area has a special value for nature conservation
because of some habitat quality that is considered a reference state for “high quality
nature.” We do not mean that reference habitat is untouched by man. Therefore we
do not use terms such as “pristine” or “undisturbed” commonly found in the litera-
ture. The third type,
abandoned habitat
, involves habitats that currently experience
relatively little human interference but that have been highly disturbed or managed
in the past, e.g., old fields or abandoned plantation forests. They may be of high
conservation value but they are not reference habitat because their habitat state is
not considered a reference for “high quality nature.” The fourth habitat type,
designed habitat
, involves situations where humans deliberately and strongly
manipulate a habitat to create a new habitat that primarily suites conservation
objectives (e.g., restoration of a former native habitat). Designed habitats are char-
acterized by their ongoing dependence on management (conservation-reliant
sensu
Scott et al. 2005). Ecological restoration areas that are not conservation-reliant are
considered either reference or abandoned habitat, depending on the extent to which
the restoration has been successful. Differences among the four habitat types, their
human valuation, and their invaders allow us to define a typology (Table 5.1),
which can be instructive in informing management and research.
The four habitat types reflect the four main strategies used in nature conserva-
tion today: maintaining biodiversity in cultural and urban landscapes (mainstream-
ing biodiversity, Petersen and Huntley 2005), protection of natural areas, nature
conservation on abandoned land, and habitat restoration. Conservation on aban-
doned land may not yet be widely considered a distinctive type of conservation
