scholarly journals A microbial perspective on balancing trade-offs in ecosystem functions in a constructed stormwater wetland

2020 ◽  
Vol 158 ◽  
pp. 106000
Author(s):  
Regina B. Bledsoe ◽  
Eban Z. Bean ◽  
Samuel S. Austin ◽  
Ariane L. Peralta
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Constructed Stormwater Wetland

Trade-offs and Synergies of Ecosystem Services in Karst Area of China Driven by Grain-for-Green Program

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofeng Wang
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Natural Ecosystem ◽  
Grain For Green ◽  
Grain For Green Program ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Impact

<p>As an important means regulating the relationship between human and natural ecosystem, ecological restoration program plays a key role in restoring ecosystem functions. The Grain-for-Green Program (GFGP, One of the world’s most ambitious ecosystem conservation set-aside programs aims to transfer farmland on steep slopes to forestland or grassland to increase vegetation coverage) has been widely implemented from 1999 to 2015 and exerted significant influence on land use and ecosystem services (ESs). In this study, three ecological models (InVEST, RUSLE, and CASA) were used to accurately calculate the three key types of ESs, water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), and net primary production (NPP) in Karst area of southwestern China from 1982 to 2015. The impact of GFGP on ESs and trade-offs was analyzed. It provides practical guidance in carrying out ecological regulation in Karst area of China under global climate change. Results showed that ESs and trade-offs had changed dramatically driven by GFGP . In detail, temporally, SC and NPP exhibited an increasing trend, while WY exhibited a decreasing trend. Spatially, SC basically decreased from west to east; NPP basically increased from north to south; WY basically increased from west to east; NPP and SC, SC and WY developed in the direction of trade-offs driven by the GFGP, while NPP and WY developed in the direction of synergy. Therefore, future ecosystem management and restoration policy-making should consider trade-offs of ESs so as to achieve sustainable provision of ESs.</p>

Enhancing ecosystem services with no-till

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Lal
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Water Retention Capacity ◽  
No Till ◽  
Trade Offs

AbstractEcosystem functions and services provided by soils depend on land use and management. The objective of this article is to review and synthesize relevant information on the impacts of no-till (NT) management of croplands on ecosystem functions and services. Sustainable management of soil through NT involves: (i) replacing what is removed, (ii) restoring what has been degraded, and (iii) minimizing on-site and off-site effects. Despite its merits, NT is adopted on merely ∼9% of the 1.5 billion ha of global arable land area. Soil's ecosystem services depend on the natural capital (soil organic matter and clay contents, soil depth and water retention capacity) and its management. Soil management in various agro-ecosystems to enhance food production has some trade-offs/disservices (i.e., decline in biodiversity, accelerated erosion and non-point source pollution), which must be minimized by further developing agricultural complexity to mimic natural ecosystems. However, adoption of NT accentuates many ecosystem services: carbon sequestration, biodiversity, elemental cycling, and resilience to natural and anthropogenic perturbations, all of which can affect food security. Links exist among diverse ecosystem services, such that managing one can adversely impact others. For example, increasing agronomic production can reduce biodiversity and deplete soil organic carbon (SOC), harvesting crop residues for cellulosic ethanol can reduce SOC, etc. Undervaluing ecosystem services can jeopardize finite soil resources and aggravate disservices. Adoption of recommended management practices can be promoted through payments for ecosystem services by a market-based approach so that risks of disservices and negative costs can be reduced either through direct economic incentives or as performance payments.

scholarly journals Restoration ecologists might not get what they want: Global change shifts trade-offs among ecosystem functions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Fiedler ◽  
José A.F. Monteiro ◽  
Kristin B. Hulvey ◽  
Rachel J. Standish ◽  
Michael P. Perring ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
List Type ◽  
Trade Offs

ABSTRACTEcological restoration increasingly aims at improving ecosystem multifunctionality and making landscapes resilient to future threats, especially in biodiversity hotspots such as Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Successful realisation of such a strategy requires a fundamental mechanistic understanding of the link between ecosystem plant composition, plant traits and related ecosystem functions and services, as well as how climate change affects these relationships. An integrated approach of empirical research and simulation modelling with focus on plant traits can allow this understanding.Based on empirical data from a large-scale restoration project in a Mediterranean-type climate in Western Australia, we developed and validated the spatially explicit simulation model ModEST, which calculates coupled dynamics of nutrients, water and individual plants characterised by traits. We then simulated all possible combinations of eight plant species with different levels of diversity to assess the role of plant diversity and traits on multifunctionality, the provision of six ecosystem functions (covering three ecosystem services), as well as trade-offs and synergies among the functions under current and future climatic conditions.Our results show that multifunctionality cannot fully be achieved because of trade-offs among functions that are attributable to sets of traits that affect functions differently. Our measure of multifunctionality was increased by higher levels of planted species richness under current, but not future climatic conditions. In contrast, single functions were differently impacted by increased plant diversity. In addition, we found that trade-offs and synergies among functions shifted with climate change.Synthesis and application. Our results imply that restoration ecologists will face a clear challenge to achieve their targets with respect to multifunctionality not only under current conditions, but also in the long-term. However, once ModEST is parameterized and validated for a specific restoration site, managers can assess which target goals can be achieved given the set of available plant species and site-specific conditions. It can also highlight which species combinations can best achieve long-term improved multifunctionality due to their trait diversity.

scholarly journals A microbial perspective on balancing trade-offs in ecosystem functions in a constructed stormwater wetland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina B. Bledsoe ◽  
Eban Z. Bean ◽  
Samuel S. Austin ◽  
Ariane L. Peralta
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Removal ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Pollutant Removal ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Wetland Soil ◽  
Anoxic Conditions ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Green Stormwater Infrastructure ◽  
Stormwater Control

AbstractGreen stormwater infrastructure, such as constructed wetlands (CWs), is a type of stormwater control measure that can decrease nutrient and pollutant loads from urban stormwater runoff. Wetland soil microorganisms provide nutrient and pollutant removal benefits which can also result in ecosystem disservices such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and can inadvertently exacerbate climate change. Microbial respiration by facultative anaerobes in anoxic conditions is the primary pathway for nitrogen removal (benefit). Similar anoxic conditions that support denitrifying microorganisms can also support obligate anaerobes that produce methane (CH4) via methanogenesis (disservice). We examined nitrogen removal potential, GHG production, and microbial community structure within permanently flooded and shallow land or temporarily-flooded areas of a stormwater CW to identify zones for CW design optimization. Results indicate that permanently flooded zones compared to shallow land zones are greater sources of CH4 emissions (80.80 ± 118.31, 2.32 ± 9.33 mg CH4-C m-2 hr-1, respectively) and emit more carbon to the atmosphere (7161.27 kg CO2, 93.20 kg CO2 equivalents, respectively). However, nitrogen removal potential rates were similar across both flooded and shallow land zones (24.45 ± 20.18, 20.29 ± 15.14 ng N2O-N hr-1 g-1 dry soil, respectively). At this particular CW, reduction of permanently flooded zones within the wetland could decrease GHG emissions (disservice) without limiting nitrogen removal (benefit) potential of the wetland. Holistic development and design of stormwater control measures, which account for microbial activity, provides the opportunity to maximize benefits (i.e., nutrient and pollutant removal) and reduce disservices (i.e., GHG emissions) of green stormwater infrastructure.

scholarly journals Defaunation effects on plant recruitment depend on size matching and size trade-offs in seed-dispersal networks

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1855) ◽  
pp. 20162664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Donoso ◽  
Matthias Schleuning ◽  
Daniel García ◽  
Jochen Fründ
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seed Size ◽  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Integrated Network ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Large Animals

Defaunation by humans causes a loss of large animals in many ecosystems globally. Recent work has emphasized the consequences of downsizing in animal communities for ecosystem functioning. However, no study so far has integrated network theory and life-history trade-offs to mechanistically evaluate the functional consequences of defaunation in plant–animal networks. Here, we simulated an avian seed-dispersal network and its derived ecosystem function seedling recruitment to assess the relative importance of different size-related mechanisms. Specifically, we considered size matching (between bird size and seed size) and size trade-offs, which are driven by differences in plant or animal species abundance (negative size–quantity relationship) as well as in recruitment probability and disperser quality (positive size–quality relationship). Defaunation led to impoverished seedling communities in terms of diversity and seed size, but only if models accounted for size matching. In addition, size trade-off in plants, in concert with size matching, provoked rapid decays in seedling abundance in response to defaunation. These results underscore a disproportional importance of large animals for ecosystem functions. Downsizing in ecological networks will have severe consequences for ecosystem functioning, especially in interaction networks that are structured by size matching between plants and animals.

scholarly journals Conservation aquaculture as a tool for imperiled marine species: Evaluation of opportunities and risks for Olympia oysters, Ostrea lurida

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252810
Author(s):  
April D. Ridlon ◽  
Kerstin Wasson ◽  
Tiffany Waters ◽  
John Adams ◽  
Jamie Donatuto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Species ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Ostrea Lurida ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Olympia Oyster ◽  
Human Needs ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Olympia Oysters ◽  
Community Restoration

Conservation aquaculture is becoming an important tool to support the recovery of declining marine species and meet human needs. However, this tool comes with risks as well as rewards, which must be assessed to guide aquaculture activities and recovery efforts. Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) provide key ecosystem functions and services along the west coast of North America, but populations have declined to the point of local extinction in some estuaries. Here, we present a species-level, range-wide approach to strategically planning the use of aquaculture to promote recovery of Olympia oysters. We identified 12 benefits of culturing Olympia oysters, including identifying climate-resilient phenotypes that add diversity to growers’ portfolios. We also identified 11 key risks, including potential negative ecological and genetic consequences associated with the transfer of hatchery-raised oysters into wild populations. Informed by these trade-offs, we identified ten priority estuaries where aquaculture is most likely to benefit Olympia oyster recovery. The two highest scoring estuaries have isolated populations with extreme recruitment limitation—issues that can be addressed via aquaculture if hatchery capacity is expanded in priority areas. By integrating social criteria, we evaluated which project types would likely meet the goals of local stakeholders in each estuary. Community restoration was most broadly suited to the priority areas, with limited commercial aquaculture and no current community harvest of the species, although this is a future stakeholder goal. The framework we developed to evaluate aquaculture as a tool to support species recovery is transferable to other systems and species globally; we provide a guide to prioritizing local knowledge and developing recommendations for implementation by using transparent criteria. Our collaborative process engaging diverse stakeholders including managers, scientists, Indigenous Tribal representatives, and shellfish growers can be used elsewhere to seek win-win opportunities to expand conservation aquaculture where benefits are maximized for both people and imperiled species.

scholarly journals Sustainability of organic food production: challenges and innovations

2014 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urs Niggli
Keyword(s):  
Public Goods ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Trade Offs

The greatest challenge for agriculture is to reduce the trade-offs between productivity and long-term sustainability. Therefore, it is interesting to analyse organic agriculture which is a given set of farm practices that emphasise ecological sustainability. Organic agriculture can be characterised as being less driven by off-farm inputs and being better embedded in ecosystem functions. The literature on public goods and non-commodity outputs of organic farms is overwhelming. Most publications address the positive effects of organic farming on soil fertility, biodiversity maintenance and protection of the natural resources of soil, water and air. As a consequence of focusing on public goods, organic agriculture is less productive. Meta-analyses show that organic agriculture yields range between 0·75 and 0·8 of conventional agriculture. Best practice examples from disadvantaged sites and climate conditions show equal or, in the case of subsistence farming in Sub-Saharan Africa, higher productivity of organic agriculture. Hence, organic agriculture is likely to be a good model for productive and sustainable food production. Underfunding in R&D addressing specific bottlenecks of organic agriculture are the main cause for both crop and livestock yield gaps. Therefore, the potential for improving the performance of organic agriculture through agricultural research is huge. Although organic farming is a niche in most countries, it is at the verge of becoming mainstream in leading European countries. Consumer demand has grown over the past two decades and does not seem to be a limiting factor for the future development of organic agriculture.

scholarly journals Gravity of human impacts mediates coral reef conservation gains

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (27) ◽  
pp. E6116-E6125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua E. Cinner ◽  
Eva Maire ◽  
Cindy Huchery ◽  
M. Aaron MacNeil ◽  
Nicholas A. J. Graham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Marine Reserves ◽  
Relative Difference ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Fish Biomass ◽  
High Compliance ◽  
Top Predators ◽  
Trade Offs

Coral reefs provide ecosystem goods and services for millions of people in the tropics, but reef conditions are declining worldwide. Effective solutions to the crisis facing coral reefs depend in part on understanding the context under which different types of conservation benefits can be maximized. Our global analysis of nearly 1,800 tropical reefs reveals how the intensity of human impacts in the surrounding seascape, measured as a function of human population size and accessibility to reefs (“gravity”), diminishes the effectiveness of marine reserves at sustaining reef fish biomass and the presence of top predators, even where compliance with reserve rules is high. Critically, fish biomass in high-compliance marine reserves located where human impacts were intensive tended to be less than a quarter that of reserves where human impacts were low. Similarly, the probability of encountering top predators on reefs with high human impacts was close to zero, even in high-compliance marine reserves. However, we find that the relative difference between openly fished sites and reserves (what we refer to as conservation gains) are highest for fish biomass (excluding predators) where human impacts are moderate and for top predators where human impacts are low. Our results illustrate critical ecological trade-offs in meeting key conservation objectives: reserves placed where there are moderate-to-high human impacts can provide substantial conservation gains for fish biomass, yet they are unlikely to support key ecosystem functions like higher-order predation, which is more prevalent in reserve locations with low human impacts.

scholarly journals Diversification and ecosystem services for conservation agriculture: Outcomes from pastures and integrated crop–livestock systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt A. Sanderson ◽  
David Archer ◽  
John Hendrickson ◽  
Scott Kronberg ◽  
Mark Liebig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Forage Diversity ◽  
Integrated Agricultural Systems

AbstractConservation agricultural systems rely on three principles to enhance ecosystem services: (1) minimizing soil disturbance, (2) maximizing soil surface cover and (3) stimulating biological activity. In this paper, we explore the concept of diversity and its role in maximizing ecosystem services from managed grasslands and integrated agricultural systems (i.e., integrated crop–livestock–forage systems) at the field and farm level. We also examine trade-offs that may be involved in realizing greater ecosystem services. Previous research on livestock production systems, particularly in pastureland, has shown improvements in herbage productivity and reduced weed invasion with increased forage diversity but little response in terms of animal production. Managing forage diversity in pastureland requires new tools to guide the selection and placement of plant mixtures across a farm according to site suitability and the goals of the producer. Integrated agricultural systems embrace the concept of dynamic cropping systems, which incorporates a long-term strategy of annual crop sequencing that optimizes crop and soil use options to attain production, economic and resource conservation goals by using sound ecological management principles. Integrating dynamic cropping systems with livestock production increases the complexity of management, but also creates synergies among system components that may improve resilience and sustainability while fulfilling multiple ecosystem functions. Diversified conservation agricultural systems can sustain crop and livestock production and provide additional ecosystem services such as soil C storage, efficient nutrient cycling and conservation of biodiversity.

scholarly journals Economic and ecological trade-off analysis of forest ecosystems: options for boreal forests

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si Chen ◽  
Chander Shahi ◽  
Han Y.H. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Ecological Functions ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Trade Offs

Intensive forest management practices for production forestry can potentially impact the sustainability of ecological functions and associated forest ecosystem services. Understanding the trade-offs between economic gains and ecological losses is critical for the sustainable management of forest resources. However, economic and ecological trade-offs are typically uncertain, vary at temporal and spatial scales, and are difficult to measure. Moreover, the methods used to quantify economic and ecological trade-offs might have conflicting priorities. We reviewed the most current published literature related to trade-off analysis between economic gains and sustainability of forest ecosystem functions and associated services, and we found that most economic and ecological trade-offs studies were conducted in tropical and temperate forests, with few having their focus on boreal forests. Analytical methods of these published studies included monetary valuation, biophysical models, optimization programming, production possibility frontier, and multi-objective optimization. This review has identified the knowledge gaps in the understanding and measurement of the economic and ecological trade-offs for the sustainable management of boreal forests. While it remains uncertain how economic activities might best maintain and support multiple ecological functions and associated services in the boreal forests, which are susceptible to climate change and disturbances, we propose the use of optimization methods employing multiple objectives. For any tool to provide sustainable and optimal forest management solutions, we propose that appropriate and robust data must be collected and analyzed.

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