Ecosystem Functions and Management: Theory and Practice PDF
Preview Ecosystem Functions and Management: Theory and Practice
Harpinder Sandhu Editor Ecosystem Functions and Management Theory and Practice Ecosystem Functions and Management Harpinder Sandhu Editor Ecosystem Functions and Management Theory and Practice 123 Editor Harpinder Sandhu Schoolof the Environment Flinders University Adelaide, SA Australia ISBN978-3-319-53966-9 ISBN978-3-319-53967-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-53967-6 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017931346 ©SpringerInternationalPublishingAG2017 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission orinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar methodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfrom therelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinor for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations. Printedonacid-freepaper ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbySpringerNature TheregisteredcompanyisSpringerInternationalPublishingAG Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Gewerbestrasse11,6330Cham,Switzerland Foreword The idea that biodiversity in our natural ecosystems provides important ecosystem servicestohumanity,andmust,therefore,beprotectedhasbeengaininggroundin recent decades. Perhaps nowhere else in the world, the critical role the ecosystem services play in the lives of people is more evident than in South Asia. Tens of millionsofpeople,almostallofthemfromthelowestincomestrata-ofoursociety, directly rely on natural ecosystems to sustain their livelihoods. Our agricultural production depends upon several ecosystem services such as naturalprocessesthatformandmaintainsoils,ensurecontinuousflowofwaterfor irrigation, and maintain pollinators, and other beneficial organisms that control pests and diseases. Almost everyone depends on nature to regulate air quality, and to provide aesthetic and spiritual services. Natural systems, above all, provide us options to deal with an uncertain future. Wecancalculatetheeconomicvalueoftheseecosystemservicestojustifytheir protection and sound management, and we have done that. But we all know that nature is priceless. Priceless, asit may be,assaultsonnature continue inSouth Asia, as elsewhere. Somelossesinecosystemservicesareinevitable,asaresultofdevelopment,others resulting from poor policies and governance and the lack of appreciation of full economic,social,andenvironmentalconsequencesofthedecline,areunnecessary. Equally important, continuing degradation ignores the inherent value of natural ecosystems in providing solutions to our social, economic, and environmental dilemmas. Thisbook,acontributionfromsomeofthemostwell-knownexpertsfromSouth Asia,exploresthestatusofecosystemservicesintheregion.Theessaysbyarange ofexpertsinecology,sociology,andeconomics,describeongoingchangesandthe impacts of these changes on six major ecosystems as well as societies. General trendsaredrivenhomebycasestudiesfromforestecosystemsinthemountainsand agricultural systems from the plains of Punjab. The changes in natural ecosystems are rapid, massive, and in most cases irre- versible. Climate change, growing populations, and development aspirations are v vi Foreword exacerbating these thenegative impacts ofthese changes. Given theimportance of naturalecosystemsinmeetingtheUnitedNationsSustainableDevelopmentGoals, inparticularly theimportanceofforestecosystemsinsequesteringcarbon, thelack of sufficient attention to the maintenance and restoration of natural systems is surprising. Hopefully, books such as these will help draw attention to the role of natural systems in meeting society’s quest for sustainable development. Kamal Bawa University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore, India Preface Healthyandfunctioningecosystemsarenecessaryforthesurvivalofhumanbeingsas they provide life-supporting goods and services. These goods and services are often called as ecosystem services (ES). ES not only provide major inputs to many sectors oftheeconomy,butalsosupportourlifestyles.Theyincludebiologicalcontrolofpests, pollinationofcrops,floodcontrolandwinderosioncontrol,provisionoffood(including fisheries), carbon capture, aesthetics, etc. In other words, mankind cannot survive without healthy and functioning ecosystems. However, ecosystems and their services worldwidearebeingdegradedmorerapidlythaneverbeforeandthisdegradationposes serious threats to quality of life and modern economies. However, recent scientific evidencesuggestthatecosystemsandtheirservicesaredecliningrapidlyovetheworldr. Asiahostsnearlyone-thirdofthehumanpopulation.Tofulfillincreasingneedsoffood andindustrialproductsforgrowingpopulation,massiveindustrialisationisoccurringat faster pace in this region. These activities are having negative impacts on natural ecosystemsandtheirservices,whicharelikelytobeincreasedincomingdecadesdueto increasing population and their growing demands. Globally, ecosystems have been studied in much detail; however, vital information on the key local ecosystems, their functioning,stateofhealth,etc.,needstobeaddressedinAsiancontextparticularlyin Indiansubcontinent.Thisbookaimstofulfillthisgapbypresentingcurrentknowledge onecosystems,theirfunctions,values,andimportancetosocietyandtheeconomy. This book addresses six major ecosystems in Indian subcontinent—mountain, agroecosystems, desert, forest, urban and freshwater ecosystems. It provides an overviewoftheirfunctionsanddiscusseshowtheysupportlivelihoods.Buildingon theecosystemstheoryandliteraturesincetheUnitedNationsMillenniumEcosystem Assessment, it then elaborates on methods, concepts, policies and practices to maintainecosystems.Ithighlightstheecosystemmanagementapproachthatinvolves management of natural resources within the ecological constraints to fulfill socio-economic objectives of the communities that are dependent on natural ecosystems.Itisaholisticapproachthatcoverssocial,economicandenvironmental aspects of the sustainability. In this book, we take anthropocentric view of the ecosystem management. It involves managing ecosystems to get desired social, culturalandeconomicbenefits.Thebookconcludesbydiscussingthesignificanceof vii viii Preface interlinkingecosystemsforsustainableandequitabledevelopmentintheregion.This approachistimelyandwillbeofhighscientificandpoliticalvalueasdiscussedatthe recentRio+20Summittomovetowardsgreeneconomyforsustainableandequitable development. The book isdivided into three parts. Part I is introduction and has two chapters that set the scene for rest of the book. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the different types of ecosystems in the South Asia region. It introduces an ecosystem approachincludingitsmanagementandvalueofES.Italsoprovidestheconceptual framework of relationship between ecosystems and human well-being. This approachisfurtherelaboratedintherestofthebookchapters.Chapter2buildson this theme and define ecosystems and economic systems. It argues that both are evolvingandinterlinked.Thereisalsoneedtoconsiderethicsindesigningpolicies to manage them for the welfare of humans and other species on earth. Part II describes six major ecosystems in South Asia. Chapter 3 is a case study located in Himalayas as an example from mountain ecosystems. It provides an empiricalexplorationofinteractionsbetweenhumansandtheenvironmentusingan ecological modelling approach. Such modelling can be used for decision-making process to manage complex ecosystems. Chapter 4 provides a case study from agroecosystems by elaborating on the agriculture in Punjab, India. It examines the currentstatusofESprovidedbyagricultureinPunjabandhealthofwaterandland resources. Chapter 5 describes deserts and their management in relation to Indian subcontinent.Itdescribesmajordesertsinthesubcontinentwithspecialreferenceto Pakistan.Chapter6providesoverviewofforestandtheroletheyplayinsupporting livelihoodinIndia.ItdiscussesthefinancialincentivesofimprovingforestESand its impact on economy. Chapter 7 discusses urban ecosystems by taking examples from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It elaborates on the ES concept and its relevancetotheurban ecosystemmanagement andplanning. Chapter8focuseson freshwater ecosystems. It provides a case study of tank water systems in India. PartIIIcomprisestwochapters.Chapter9provides aframeworktointerlinkall ecosystemsdiscussedinthebook.Italsodiscussesthebenefitsofinterlinkagesfor the long-term sustainability. Chapter 10 discusses how business organisations are being affected and affect ecosystems. It provides a comprehensive framework for the business organisations for the management of natural resources on which their operations depend. The book concludes with an epilogue about designing sus- tainable ecosystems for equitable and sustainable development in the region. ThisbookhasbeenwrittenbyleadingresearchersinSouthAsia.Ibelievethatit will be useful for undergraduates, postgraduates, ecological economists, policy makers, local and regional government personnel, etc. I acknowledge the effort, knowledge and care of team members that brought this project to completion. I sincerely thank all co-authors for their valuable contributions and publishers for their encouragement to complete this book. I also thank my family for their con- tinued support. Adelaide, Australia Harpinder Sandhu December 2016 Contents Part I Setting the Scene 1 Theory and Practice of Ecosystem Functions and Management... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 3 Harpinder Sandhu 2 Economic Systems and Ecosystems: Interlinkages, Co-evolution or Disparate Movement? .. .... .... .... ..... .... 17 Kanchan Chopra and Purnamita Dasgupta Part II Ecosystems’ Perspectives 3 Interactions Between Humans and Ecosystems in Himalayas of India and Its Socioeconomic and Ecological Consequences: An Ecological Modelling Approach. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 39 Sunil Nautiyal 4 Ecosystem Services and Agriculture in Punjab, India .. ..... .... 59 Lalit Kumar and Harpinder Sandhu 5 Desert Ecosystem Management: A Sustainable and Wise Use. .... 85 Aleem Ahmed Khan, Tahira Ruby, Nargis Naz and Muhammad Rafay 6 Forest Ecosystem: Functions, Value and Management.. ..... .... 101 Madhu Verma, Rohit Singh and Dhaval Negandhi 7 Urban Ecosystems: Functions, Value and Management. ..... .... 123 Jürgen H. Breuste, Muhammad Mushahid Anwar, Rab Nawaz and Mehwish Rani 8 The Hydro-Institutional Challenge of Managing Tanks: A Study of Tanks in Rural Andhra Pradesh.. .... .... ..... .... 155 M. Dinesh Kumar and Neena Rao ix x Contents Part III Moving Forward 9 Interlinking Ecosystems for Multiple Benefits. .... .... ..... .... 195 Harpinder Sandhu 10 Sustainable Ecosystems and the Role of Business.. .... ..... .... 207 Sukhbir Sandhu Epilogue.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 219
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