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Understanding Ecosystem Disturbance and Valuation of Services in Watershed Studies

This document explores the complex interactions of ecosystems in response to disturbances and their valuable services within watershed studies, highlighting the Hubbard Brook Experiment and the impact of land-use changes like clear-cutting. It discusses how ecosystems can exhibit resistance and resilience and the roles that biodiversity and ecosystem services play in maintaining environmental health. The text also considers the intrinsic and instrumental values of ecosystems, including the economic implications of services such as food production, water filtration, and cultural benefits, framing the importance of protecting biodiversity for a sustainable future.

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Understanding Ecosystem Disturbance and Valuation of Services in Watershed Studies

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  1. Ecosystems Respond to Disturbance & Provide Valuable Services

  2. Watershed Studies • Studying BGC on a global scale is too complex • Watersheds act as a closed system • Hubbard Brook, NH (1962) • Six watersheds 30-106 acres • Impermeable bedrock substrate • Measure the amounts of water & nutrients leaving the system

  3. Hubbard Brook Experiment

  4. Hubbard Brook & Clear-cutting • Clear-cut area & herbicides to prevent re-growth • Measurable: NO3- leached out • Terrestrial systems increase retention of nutrients on land

  5. Resistance • Low-intensity fires • Disturbance changes populations/community but no effect of energy flow

  6. Resilience • Flow of energy and matter are affected by disturbance • How quickly to recover? • How completely the ecosystem can recover to its original state? • Global Warming -v- Drought

  7. Resilience-Yellowstone NP

  8. Restoration Ecology • Restore the ecosystem to its original state • Florida Everglades • Chesapeake Bay • Wetland re-creation

  9. MOVIE: Panama Canal

  10. Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis • Disturbance is not a bad thing!

  11. Why Protect Biodiversity? • Instrumental Value • Lumber, pharmaceutical • Intrinsic Value • morality

  12. Instrumental Value • Ecosystem Services • Agricultural ecosystem  food production • Wetland ecosystem  water filtration • Economists: Cost/benefit analysis

  13. Ecological Economists • What is the total value of ecosystem services to the human economy? • Replacement cost? • Property values? (the oceanfront property) • Time/Money people are willing to spend to use the service? • $30 trillion>> world’s economy (1997)

  14. Calculating Instrumental Value: FIVE CATEGORIES • Provisions • Regulating Services • Support Systems • Resilience • Cultural services

  15. Provisions • Goods humans use directly • Lumber • Food crops • Minerals (Fe, U, NaCl) • Furs • Example: Medicinal Plants (70% pharmaceuticals) • Example: Pacific Yew Trees: Taxol

  16. SIDEBAR: DOVE soaps • The Girl • The Guy • What is Reality: Where Does Photography End and digital manipulation begin? • So where is the Environment?

  17. Regulating Services • Regulation of natural systems • CO2emmisions & Global Warming Problem • Loading 8GT(=1 trillion kg) but…. • 4 GT stay in the atmosphere • Where did the rest go? • Rainforests,oceans

  18. Support Systems • Pollinators ($3.1billion) • Natural Pest Control • Natures Air Conditioners • Water Filtration • NYC & Catskill Mountains • Too costly for humans to generate these services

  19. NYC Water

  20. Resilience • Function of species diversity • Genetic diversity is the insurance policy! • Example: Monoculture -v- polyculture • Web of Life Analogy • Shooting a Gun in the Airplane Cockpit instruments analogy

  21. Cultural Services • Cultural & aesthetic benefits • I will pay to see that! • Awe-inspiring • Cure for cancer?

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