Ecological Impacts

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Getz
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Footprint Analysis ◽  
Entire Nation ◽  
Ecological Footprint Analysis

In this chapter we examine nature, ecology and ecological impacts, as distinct from the impacts of events and tourism on the built or human environment. This brings sustainability to the fore, and that is a term that has to be examined carefully with reference to the ‘greening’ of events, different interpretations of the meaning of sustainability, and how this influences evaluation and impact assessment. It is also very useful to examine environmental impacts ON events, as opposed to the impacts OF events. This involves an illustration of the event settings spectrum that identifies important variables related to the differences between indoor events and those situated in natural environments. The subjects and objects of ecological impact assessment for events and tourism are examined in detail, presenting goals, methods and indicators that can be applied to the full range of ‘subjects’ – individuals and families or the entire nation. The process of EIA follows the generic IA process model, with a number of special considerations. Methods include the Leopold Matrix, Forces-Pressures-State-Impact-Response model, and carbon and ecological footprint analysis.

scholarly journals ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF ROAD NETWORKS AT LANDSCAPE SCALE USING SPATIAL ROAD DISTURBANCE INDEX (SPROADI)

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shekoufeh NEMATOLLAHI ◽  
Sima FAKHERAN ◽  
Alireza SOFFIANIAN
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Road Networks ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Landscape Index ◽  
Disturbance Index ◽  
Ecological Impact Assessment ◽  
Road Disturbance ◽  
Conservation Concern

Development of roads can have deleterious effects on natural habitats containing species of conservation concern. Fragmentation of habitat into small, non-contiguous patches may result in dramatic population declinesthus appropriate studies quantifying ecological impacts of roads at landscape scale are essential. The main goal of this study was ecological impact assessment of roads network in Eastern part of Isfahan Province, including Abassabad wildlife refuge and Siahkouh National park, which are among the most important habitats for Asiatic Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. For this purpose, Spatial Road Disturbance Index (SPROADI), as a new landscape index was applied for the ecological impact assessment of the roads. This index uses three sub-indices including traffic intensity, vicinity impact and fragmentation grade to calculate the ecological impacts of road networks. Results obtained through quantifying the landscape Index (SPROADI) showed that the degree of disturbance by roads network is between 0 and 54.53. Our results also revealed that 12 percent of Abassabad wildlife and wide range of suitable habitats for Asiatic Cheetah were affected by roads, which presents a conservation concern for this critically endangered species.

High predatory efficiency and abundance drive expected ecological impacts of a marine invasive fish

2020 ◽  
Vol 637 ◽  
pp. 195-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
EM DeRoy ◽  
R Scott ◽  
NE Hussey ◽  
HJ MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Marine Predator ◽  
Eastern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Red Grouper ◽  
Per Capita

The ecological impacts of invasive species are highly variable and mediated by many factors, including both habitat and population abundance. Lionfish Pterois volitans are an invasive marine species which have high reported detrimental effects on prey populations, but whose effects relative to native predators are currently unknown for the recently colonized eastern Gulf of Mexico. We used functional response (FR) methodology to assess the ecological impact of lionfish relative to 2 functionally similar native species (red grouper Epinephelus morio and graysby grouper Cephalopholis cruentata) foraging in a heterogeneous environment. We then combined the per capita impact of each species with their field abundance to obtain a Relative Impact Potential (RIP). RIP assesses the broader ecological impact of invasive relative to native predators, the magnitude of which predicts community-level negative effects of invasive species. Lionfish FR and overall consumption rate was intermediate to that of red grouper (higher) and graysby grouper (lower). However, lionfish had the highest capture efficiency of all species, which was invariant of habitat. Much higher field abundance of lionfish resulted in high RIPs relative to both grouper species, demonstrating that the ecological impact of lionfish in this region will be driven mainly by high abundance and high predator efficiency rather than per capita effect. Our comparative study is the first empirical assessment of lionfish per capita impact and RIP in this region and is one of few such studies to quantify the FR of a marine predator.

scholarly journals An experimental study of the ecological impacts of hydraulic bivalve dredging on maerl

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Hauton ◽  
J.M Hall-Spencer ◽  
P.G Moore
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Term Experiment ◽  
Sediment Tracer ◽  
Razor Clams ◽  
Short Term Experiment ◽  
Clyde Sea ◽  
Sea Area

AbstractA short-term experiment to assess the ecological impact of a hydraulic blade dredge on a maerl community was carried out during November 2001 in the Clyde Sea area on the west coast of Scotland. A fluorescent sediment tracer was used to label dead maerl, which was then spread out on the surface of sediment to act as a proxy for living maerl. The fauna collected by the dredge was dominated by the bivalves Dosinia exoleta and Tapes rhomboides, which were found to be intact. The target razor clams Ensis spp. were caught in low numbers, which reflected the low abundance of this genus within the maerl habitat. The hydraulic dredge removed, dispersed and buried the fluorescent maerl at a rate of 5.2 kg m−2 and suspended a large cloud of sediment into the water column, which settled out and blanketed the seabed to a distance of at least 8 m either side of the dredge track. The likely ecological consequences of hydraulic dredging on maerl grounds are discussed, and a case is made for protecting all maerl grounds from hydraulic dredging and establishing them as reservoirs to allow for the recruitment of commercial bivalve populations at adjacent fished sites.

Emergy-based ecological footprint analysis for a mega-city: The dynamic changes of Shanghai

2019 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 552-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hengyu Pan ◽  
Mufan Zhuang ◽  
Yong Geng ◽  
Fei Wu ◽  
Huijuan Dong
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Footprint ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Footprint Analysis ◽  
Ecological Footprint Analysis

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Research Investigating the Combined Ecological Impact of Anthropogenic Noise and Artificial Light at Night

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wouter Halfwerk ◽  
Paul Jerem
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Anthropogenic Noise ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
The Impact

Levels of anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN) are rapidly rising on a global scale. Both sensory pollutants are well known to affect animal behavior and physiology, which can lead to substantial ecological impacts. Most studies on noise or light pollution to date have focused on single stressor impacts, studying both pollutants in isolation despite their high spatial and temporal co-occurrence. However, few studies have addressed their combined impact, known as multisensory pollution, with the specific aim to assess whether the interaction between noise and light pollution leads to predictable, additive effects, or less predictable, synergistic or antagonistic effects. We carried out a systematic review of research investigating multisensory pollution and found 28 studies that simultaneously assessed the impact of anthropogenic noise and ALAN on animal function (e.g., behavior, morphology or life-history), physiology (e.g., stress, oxidative, or immune status), or population demography (e.g., abundance or species richness). Only fifteen of these studies specifically tested for possible interactive effects when both sensory pollutants were combined. Four out of eight experimental studies revealed a significant interaction effect, in contrast to only three out seven observational studies. We discuss the benefits and limitations of experimental vs. observational studies addressing multisensory pollution and call for more specific testing of the diverse ways in which noise and light pollution can interact to affect wildlife.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document