Ebook: Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity and Environmental Change in a Tropical Mountain Ecosystem of South Ecuador

An interdisciplinary research unit consisting of 30 teams in the natural, economic and social sciences analyzed biodiversity and ecosystem services of a mountain rainforest ecosystem in the hotspot of the tropical Andes, with special reference to past, current and future environmental changes. The group assessed ecosystem services using data from ecological field and scenario-driven model experiments, and with the help of comparative field surveys of the natural forest and its anthropogenic replacement system for agriculture.

The book offers insights into the impacts of environmental change on various service categories mentioned in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005): cultural, regulating, supporting and provisioning ecosystem services. Examples focus on biodiversity of plants and animals including trophic networks, and abiotic/biotic parameters such as soils, regional climate, water, nutrient and sediment cycles. The types of threats considered include land use and climate changes, as well as atmospheric fertilization. In terms of regulating and provisioning services, the emphasis is primarily on water regulation and supply as well as climate regulation and carbon sequestration. With regard to provisioning services, the synthesis of the book provides science-based recommendations for a sustainable land use portfolio including several options such as forestry, pasture management and the practices of indigenous peoples. In closing, the authors show how they integrated the local society by pursuing capacity building in compliance with the CBD-ABS (Convention on Biological Diversity - Access and Benefit Sharing), in the form of education and knowledge transfer for application.

An interdisciplinary research unit consisting of 30 teams in the natural, economic and social sciences analyzed biodiversity and ecosystem services of a mountain rainforest ecosystem in the hotspot of the tropical Andes, with special reference to past, current and future environmental changes. The group assessed ecosystem services using data from ecological field and scenario-driven model experiments, and with the help of comparative field surveys of the natural forest and its anthropogenic replacement system for agriculture.

The book offers insights into the impacts of environmental change on various service categories mentioned in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005): cultural, regulating, supporting and provisioning ecosystem services. Examples focus on biodiversity of plants and animals including trophic networks, and abiotic/biotic parameters such as soils, regional climate, water, nutrient and sediment cycles. The types of threats considered include land use and climate changes, as well as atmospheric fertilization. In terms of regulating and provisioning services, the emphasis is primarily on water regulation and supply as well as climate regulation and carbon sequestration. With regard to provisioning services, the synthesis of the book provides science-based recommendations for a sustainable land use portfolio including several options such as forestry, pasture management and the practices of indigenous peoples. In closing, the authors show how they integrated the local society by pursuing capacity building in compliance with the CBD-ABS (Convention on Biological Diversity - Access and Benefit Sharing), in the form of education and knowledge transfer for application.

An interdisciplinary research unit consisting of 30 teams in the natural, economic and social sciences analyzed biodiversity and ecosystem services of a mountain rainforest ecosystem in the hotspot of the tropical Andes, with special reference to past, current and future environmental changes. The group assessed ecosystem services using data from ecological field and scenario-driven model experiments, and with the help of comparative field surveys of the natural forest and its anthropogenic replacement system for agriculture.

The book offers insights into the impacts of environmental change on various service categories mentioned in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005): cultural, regulating, supporting and provisioning ecosystem services. Examples focus on biodiversity of plants and animals including trophic networks, and abiotic/biotic parameters such as soils, regional climate, water, nutrient and sediment cycles. The types of threats considered include land use and climate changes, as well as atmospheric fertilization. In terms of regulating and provisioning services, the emphasis is primarily on water regulation and supply as well as climate regulation and carbon sequestration. With regard to provisioning services, the synthesis of the book provides science-based recommendations for a sustainable land use portfolio including several options such as forestry, pasture management and the practices of indigenous peoples. In closing, the authors show how they integrated the local society by pursuing capacity building in compliance with the CBD-ABS (Convention on Biological Diversity - Access and Benefit Sharing), in the form of education and knowledge transfer for application.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Study Area....Pages 3-17
Environmental Changes Affecting the Andes of Ecuador....Pages 19-29
The Challenges of Sustainable Development in the Podocarpus-El Condor Biosphere Reserve....Pages 31-40
The Research Unit RU 816: Overall Approach in the Light of the Ecosystem Services Concept....Pages 41-49
Front Matter....Pages 51-51
Landscape History, Vegetation History, and Past Human Impacts....Pages 53-66
Past Dynamics of Speciation in Andean Mountain Rainforests....Pages 67-79
Diversity in Soil Fungi, Protists, and Microarthropods....Pages 81-92
Plant Diversity and Its Relevance for the Provision of Ecosystem Services....Pages 93-106
Supporting, Regulating, and Provisioning Hydrological Services....Pages 107-116
The Carbon Balance of Tropical Mountain Forests Along an Altitudinal Transect....Pages 117-139
Current Regulating and Supporting Services: Nutrient Cycles....Pages 141-151
Natural Landslides Which Impact Current Regulating Services: Environmental Preconditions and Modeling....Pages 153-170
Conservation, Management of Natural Forests and Reforestation of Pastures to Retain and Restore Current Provisioning Services....Pages 171-185
Mycorrhiza Networks Promote Biodiversity and Stabilize the Tropical Mountain Rain Forest Ecosystem: Perspectives for Understanding Complex Communities....Pages 187-203
Current Provisioning Services: Pasture Development and Use, Weeds (Bracken) and Management....Pages 205-217
Current Provisioning Ecosystem Services for the Local Population: Landscape Transformation, Land Use, and Plant Use....Pages 219-234
Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation Payments Are Key Factors in Mitigating Tropical Forest Loss....Pages 235-244
Front Matter....Pages 245-245
Climate Change: Effects on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning....Pages 247-263
Global Climate Change Impacts on Local Climate and Hydrology....Pages 265-274
Impacts of Local Land-Use Change on Climate and Hydrology....Pages 275-286
Front Matter....Pages 245-245
Current and Future Variations of Nutrient Depositions and Influences on Tree Growth....Pages 287-296
Nutrient Additions Affecting Matter Turnover in Forest and Pasture Ecosystems....Pages 297-313
Effects of Nutrient Addition on the Productivity of Montane Forests and Implications for the Carbon Cycle....Pages 315-329
Climate Change and Its Impact on Current and Future Vegetation Dynamics and Carbon Cycling....Pages 331-341
Sustainable Use of Tropical Forests: A Plea for a Landscape View....Pages 343-353
Future Provisioning Services: Repasturisation of Abandoned Pastures, Problems, and Pasture Management....Pages 355-370
Front Matter....Pages 371-371
Synopsis: Towards a Sustainable Land Use Portfolio....Pages 373-393
Knowledge Transfer for Conservation and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources: A Case Study from Southern Ecuador....Pages 395-410
The Role of Biodiversity Research for the Local Scientific Community....Pages 411-428
Back Matter....Pages 429-440

An interdisciplinary research unit consisting of 30 teams in the natural, economic and social sciences analyzed biodiversity and ecosystem services of a mountain rainforest ecosystem in the hotspot of the tropical Andes, with special reference to past, current and future environmental changes. The group assessed ecosystem services using data from ecological field and scenario-driven model experiments, and with the help of comparative field surveys of the natural forest and its anthropogenic replacement system for agriculture.

The book offers insights into the impacts of environmental change on various service categories mentioned in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005): cultural, regulating, supporting and provisioning ecosystem services. Examples focus on biodiversity of plants and animals including trophic networks, and abiotic/biotic parameters such as soils, regional climate, water, nutrient and sediment cycles. The types of threats considered include land use and climate changes, as well as atmospheric fertilization. In terms of regulating and provisioning services, the emphasis is primarily on water regulation and supply as well as climate regulation and carbon sequestration. With regard to provisioning services, the synthesis of the book provides science-based recommendations for a sustainable land use portfolio including several options such as forestry, pasture management and the practices of indigenous peoples. In closing, the authors show how they integrated the local society by pursuing capacity building in compliance with the CBD-ABS (Convention on Biological Diversity - Access and Benefit Sharing), in the form of education and knowledge transfer for application.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Study Area....Pages 3-17
Environmental Changes Affecting the Andes of Ecuador....Pages 19-29
The Challenges of Sustainable Development in the Podocarpus-El Condor Biosphere Reserve....Pages 31-40
The Research Unit RU 816: Overall Approach in the Light of the Ecosystem Services Concept....Pages 41-49
Front Matter....Pages 51-51
Landscape History, Vegetation History, and Past Human Impacts....Pages 53-66
Past Dynamics of Speciation in Andean Mountain Rainforests....Pages 67-79
Diversity in Soil Fungi, Protists, and Microarthropods....Pages 81-92
Plant Diversity and Its Relevance for the Provision of Ecosystem Services....Pages 93-106
Supporting, Regulating, and Provisioning Hydrological Services....Pages 107-116
The Carbon Balance of Tropical Mountain Forests Along an Altitudinal Transect....Pages 117-139
Current Regulating and Supporting Services: Nutrient Cycles....Pages 141-151
Natural Landslides Which Impact Current Regulating Services: Environmental Preconditions and Modeling....Pages 153-170
Conservation, Management of Natural Forests and Reforestation of Pastures to Retain and Restore Current Provisioning Services....Pages 171-185
Mycorrhiza Networks Promote Biodiversity and Stabilize the Tropical Mountain Rain Forest Ecosystem: Perspectives for Understanding Complex Communities....Pages 187-203
Current Provisioning Services: Pasture Development and Use, Weeds (Bracken) and Management....Pages 205-217
Current Provisioning Ecosystem Services for the Local Population: Landscape Transformation, Land Use, and Plant Use....Pages 219-234
Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation Payments Are Key Factors in Mitigating Tropical Forest Loss....Pages 235-244
Front Matter....Pages 245-245
Climate Change: Effects on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning....Pages 247-263
Global Climate Change Impacts on Local Climate and Hydrology....Pages 265-274
Impacts of Local Land-Use Change on Climate and Hydrology....Pages 275-286
Front Matter....Pages 245-245
Current and Future Variations of Nutrient Depositions and Influences on Tree Growth....Pages 287-296
Nutrient Additions Affecting Matter Turnover in Forest and Pasture Ecosystems....Pages 297-313
Effects of Nutrient Addition on the Productivity of Montane Forests and Implications for the Carbon Cycle....Pages 315-329
Climate Change and Its Impact on Current and Future Vegetation Dynamics and Carbon Cycling....Pages 331-341
Sustainable Use of Tropical Forests: A Plea for a Landscape View....Pages 343-353
Future Provisioning Services: Repasturisation of Abandoned Pastures, Problems, and Pasture Management....Pages 355-370
Front Matter....Pages 371-371
Synopsis: Towards a Sustainable Land Use Portfolio....Pages 373-393
Knowledge Transfer for Conservation and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources: A Case Study from Southern Ecuador....Pages 395-410
The Role of Biodiversity Research for the Local Scientific Community....Pages 411-428
Back Matter....Pages 429-440
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