Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
help in such instances, but excessive nutrient
loading from non-point source pollutants is
more difi cult to control and legislate. Habitat
contiguity and intactness are necessary for
the preservation of biodiversity and the long-
term viability of resident species. Yet, wetland
habitat fragmentation due to land-use
conversions, the demand for resources, and
encroachment are still commonplace across
the globe.
each other. A systems approach allows for
an integrated and holistic understanding
of the biogeochemical and socio-economic
aspects of wetlands, their availability, use and
allocation. Such approaches may be complex
and require multi-disciplinary teams of aca-
demics, practitioners and policy makers. Yet
they are also critical to understanding the
drivers of wetland change, identifying inter-
actions between different components of the
system at different spatial and temporal
scales, and recognizing key vulnerabilities
within systems.
Knowledge-action linkages - Linking scientii c
and practitioner
knowledge
of environmental
systems and human-environment exchanges
with
action
to conserve and manage ecosys-
tems needs better coordination. Work within
the sustainability sciences recognizes the
importance of such linkages (Clark and Levin
2009). Knowledge-action linkages may be
iterative, responsive, and creative to rel ect
changing conditions and new information
gleaned from i eld experiences or data moni-
toring efforts.
Flexible institutions - Under many anticipated
climate-change scenarios, set patterns of
human-environment interaction within
wetland sites are bound to face challenges.
Institutions of environmental governance
must be l exible enough to respond to such
18.3 Key opportunities in wetland
conservation
Since the signing of the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands four decades ago, wetland conserva-
tion has matured into a fully developed approach
championed by powerful international and
national interests. Some of the key scientii c
developments of the past few decades could
help propel wetland management and conserva-
tion forward. Here, we highlight some of the
key opportunities and challenges in wetland
conservation and management (Fig. 18-5).
Integrated human-natural systems approach -
Recognizing the fundamental connection
between human well-being and environmen-
tal health suggests that elements of these
systems cannot be studied in isolation from
Figure 18-5.
Schematic illustration of key opportunities and challenges in wetland conservation and management.
