Conservation
Conservation Significance
The majority of the original grasslands and grassy woodlands have been converted to agricultural grassland with a much lower diversity of native flora and fauna, invasion of exotic agricultural plants and weeds, and less groundcover and soil stability, while the small remnants of these ecosystems are highly vulnerable to change.
Remnants of native grasslands and grassy woodlands are ‘harbours of biodiversity’ (Eddy 2002, p. 4). A number of species that have largely disappeared because of agricultural and associated development are likely to found in these remnants. These ecosystems conserve biodiversity in relatively intact and naturally functioning communities, which is the most effective and appropriate form of conservation with a minimum of management effort and cost (Eddy 2002).
Native grasslands and grassy woodlands with high biodiversity provide abundant genetic resources and reserve evolutionary processes, while those with relatively low biodiversity act as corridors between areas of high biodiversity for the continuing movement of genetic material (Eddy 2002).
In addition, these ecosystems offer food and shelter for a wide variety of animals. Most of Victoria’s extinct mammals depended on grassland ecosystems. One third of Victoria’s rare or threatened plants, birds and reptiles in danger of extinction are part of the grassland ecosystems (Iramoo 2014).
Conservation Management
Disturbance management
It is widely acknowledged that maintaining diversity in productive sites requires periodical biomass reduction. Historically, livestock grazing has caused enormous damage to many areas. However, there is a trend recently to use stock grazing as a biodiversity enhancement tool, y...
... middle of paper ...
... deal with uncertainty in natural resource management, monitoring the results of management actions and updating management accordingly. Normally, it starts with a survey of grassland condition and species presence as a benchmark to monitor and compare (Eddy 2002). Moreover, it requires appropriate quantitative models as a core element, the failure of which impedes implementation of management.
Rumpff et al. (2009) developed a state-and-transition model (STM) in the form as a Bayesian Network for adaptive management of native woodland in southeastern Australia. One advantage is strong implications for cost-efficient restoration. Similarly, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research has developed a dynamic Bayesian Network model for native grassland conservation. The model is part of Western Grassland Reserves (WGR) program and at validation stage (DSE 2011).
Time and time again it has been seen that human interaction with his/her environment and it’s ecosystems has shown to be increasingly arrogant and self-serving. These endless accounts are proven by the amount of important biological diversity that is being lost to the surrounding environment due to these threats of human development and population growth. There are two forms of these losses of diversity by human hand: direct and indirect. Direct losses would be the destruction of an area needed for human requirements be it social or economical. Examples of these losses would be housing, agriculture, and others. Indirect losses would be those caused by the destruction of an area also needed for the same requirements but the area’s commodities which are valued, water, food, land in general, is needed elsewhere. These losses are few in number compared with those of direct losses yet they are of the greatest importance. They are important because they involve the removal of resources of an area in which other inhabitants are dependent upon. A great example of this regrettable indirect expansion is the loss of the rich habitat of the area known as Owens Valley.
Power, Sally A.; Green, Emma R.; Barker, Chris G.; Bell, J. Nigel B.; Ashmore, Mike R. "Ecosystem recovery: heathland response to a reduction in nitrogen deposition." Global Change Biology 12
The current level of conceptual understanding of the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem processes is so primitive that at this stage it is possible to recognize the linkages at the level of functional groups only. In any ecosystem there are diverse types of functions performed by different species or species groups. However, no two species or individuals are identical. It may be noted that some species diversity within the functional groups or genetic diversity within the species has important ecosystem
C. Types of Organisms- The diversity of wildlife in any given area of the grassland is offset by the high abundance of wildlife. American grasslands host a variety of dominant grazing animals like bison and pronghorn. Non predatory animals include field mice and prairie dogs. Predatory animals of these grasslands include wolves, coyotes, foxes, badgers and black-footed ferrets. The birds that can be seen include meadowlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks and owls as well as some migratory fowl.
The prairie is facing several problems that threaten not only the wellbeing but also the existence of plant and animal species. Habitat loss, overgrazing, and pollution are ruining the prairie ecosystem. The habitats of native prairie animals are being destroys and converted into farmland. Prairie grasses are being uprooted, which are a vital food source for prey animals. When these prey animals do not have enough resources to sustain their current population, their decreasing numbers create ripples across the food web. Loss of prairie grasses is also a problem for animals that live create nests inside them to shelter them and their young. Another side effect of habitat loss is that as the amount of land decreases, the population density increases
Native plants in any given area have adapted to all the other organisms in a given area and genetically diverse ecosystems are generally maintained.
Temperate grassland biomes can be found in North America, Africa, the pampas of South America and many parts of Eurasia. Grass is the main plant in Temperate Grassland biomes, trees and shrubs are rare to see in this type of biome. Temperate grasslands also have an extremely high abundance of wildlife. The wildlife living in this biome includes bison and pronghorn sheep, but mainly the animals most affected were the cattle and horses that lived on the surrounding farms.
Landscape fragmentation contributes to loss of migratory corridors, loss of connectivity and natural communities, which all lead to a loss of biodiversity for a region. Conservation of biodiversity must include all levels of diversity: genetic, species, community, and landscape (CNHP 1995). Each complex level is dependent upon and linked to the other levels. In addition, humans are linked to all levels of this hierarchy. A healthy natural and human environment go hand in hand (CNHP 1995). An important step in conservation planning, in order to guarantee both a healthy natural environment as well as a healthy human environment, is recognizing the most endangered elements.
On the first level, when foreign, but previously non-invasive species is first introduced to a new area, the new species may play a role in a community that was previously unfulfilled; it may fill a vacant niche in the ecosystem. Originally this new species may be seen as a useful contributor to its new surroundings because it has only (temporarily) increased biodiversity in the area (Meinesz, 2003).
Human population has a major impact on all biomes. Grasslands are disappearing due to the dividing land for farming and urban developments. People are building cities, roads, and schools near these grasslands which are causing them to disappear. People are illegally poaching endangered animals like tigers, prairie dogs, elephants, and leopards. Farmers are killing prairie dogs. Bison population almost became extinct due to the overhunting for their fur. Lands are being converted into cropland, and reducing the food source for the wild animals. Grassland is becoming vulnerable due to global warming. The weather pattern and water availability can throw area off balance and change it forever. In northern Europe, grassland is much influenced by livestock grazing.
Community structures and functions are constantly changing. Organisms die and replaced over time. The gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time is called ecological succession. Succession is usually defined as ‘a continuous, unidirectional, sequential change in the species composition of a natural community’ (Mackenzie, Ball & Virdee, 2001). Succession occurs because the environmental conditions in a particular area change over time. Each species is adapted to compete against other species under a very specific set of environmental conditions. If these conditions were to change, the existing species will be replaced by a new set of species that are better adapted to the new conditions.
When most people think of wetlands the first thing that will pop into their mind will be visions of swamps and flooded plains. These marshy lands would seem to have no purpose, while in reality they are the most precious form of ecosystem that we have in America. Wetlands contribute to biodiversity, clean water, flood control, and provide a habitat for millions of species of plants and animals. Even with all this wetlands still face mass destruction, much like the rain forests they are just as productive and face similar rates of devastation (Mitchell, J. (1992, October). “Our Disappearing Wetlands” National Geographic, Pg 15).
The degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity is increasing at an alarming rate every year. Humans are certainly not the only reason for this, but they are the main contributors. The well-being of ecosystems affects our everyday lives - consumption and consumerism depend on natural resources. Everything humans use is derived from them, in seemingly indirect and direct ways. Yet despite the fact that humans are destroying the environment, many continue to and neglect to take important measures to protect it.
Martin Jenkins Prospects from biodiversity science vol.302 Mov 14, 2003 Page 1175-1177 AAAs.reproduced by persii
One of the reasons for loss in biodiversity is alteration of habitats. A habitat is the natural environment in which a species of living organism lives. If the habitat of a species is changed, it will cause the species to die or migrate to other places where it can find its natural habitat. There are many ways in which the habitat of plants and animals can be altered. One of them is land use changes. Since the beginning of human life, human beings have been changing land use for farming. Large areas of forests have been cleared by humans to increase the area of farming to satisfy their growing needs. Many biodiversity-rich landscape characteristics have been lost due to intensive farming (Young, Richards, Fischer, Halada, Kull, Kuzniar, Tartes, Uzunov & Watt, 2007). For example, traditional farming was replaced by private farms in Europe after the First World War causing an immense change in land use patterns. Another major proble...