Managing the whole landscape: historical, hybrid, and novel ecosystems

The reality confronting ecosystem managers today is one of heterogeneous, rapidly transforming landscapes, particularly in the areas more affected by urban and agricultural development. A landscape management framework that incorporates all systems, across the spectrum of degrees of alteration, provides a fuller set of options for how and when to intervene, uses limited resources more effectively, and increases the chances of achieving management goals. That many ecosystems have departed so substantially from their historical trajectory that they defy conventional restoration is not in dispute. Acknowledging novel ecosystems need not constitute a threat to existing policy and management approaches. Rather, the development of an integrated approach to management interventions can provide options that are in tune with the current reality of rapid ecosystem change

Deliberate introductions of species: Research needs. Benefits can be reaped, but risks are high

The silent invasion of Hawaii by insects, disease organisms, snakes, weeds and other pests is the single greatest threat to Hawaii’s economy and natural environment.... Even one new pest-like the brown tree snake--could forever change the character of our islands. (Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species 1996, P. 1). Reforestation in the tropics is so vastly behind deforestation that we cannot wait to fully appraise all the potential negative elements of domestication. Weediness is of consequence perhaps in Honolulu, but not in Addis or Delhi. (James Brewbaker, quoted by Hughes 1994, p. 244 )

Novel ecosystems: Theoretical and management aspects of the new ecological world order

We explore the issues relevant to those types of ecosystems containing new combinations of species that arise through human action, environmental change, and the impacts of the deliberate and inadvertent introduction of species from other regions. Novel ecosystems (also termed ‘emerging ecosystems’) result when species occur in combinations and relative abundances that have not occurred previously within a given biome. Key characteristics are novelty, in the form of new species combinations and the potential for changes in ecosystem functioning, and human agency, in that these ecosystems are the result of deliberate or inadvertent human action. As more of the Earth becomes transformed by human actions, novel ecosystems increase in importance, but are relatively little studied. Either the degradation or invasion of native or ‘wild’ ecosystems or the abandonment of intensively managed systems can result in the formation of these novel systems. Important considerations are whether these new systems are persistent and what values they may have. It is likely that it may be very difficult or costly to return such systems to their previous state, and hence consideration needs to be given to developing appropriate management goals and approaches