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Ecosystem health offers a fresh perspective on the management of
natural resources and the environment. While some of the root
concepts can surely be traced back to Aldo Leopold and even
earlier, it is only in the recent decade that a substantial body of
work has emerged on this topic. There is no question that a novel
approach which is by its nature cross disciplinary, bridging the
health and biological sciences, will initially raise a number of
questions particularly pertaining to the use of metaphors and the
validity of the analogy. This volume however goes beyond merely the
philosophical dimensions of the subject by covering a number of
case studies which have given rise to the development of promising
quantitative methods for diagnosis and rehabilitation of ecosystems
under stress. The focus of most studies is on regional ecosystems
i.e. ecosystems of large scale. As such, the methods and approaches
should have wide appeal to government agencies charged with the
responsibility of sustainable development of regional ecosystems
and natural resources. Health is one of those difficult concepts
that everyone thinks they can define, until they come to try. We
all have personal knowledge about health and illness and this makes
the ecosystem analogy so potentially powerful. Yet it is also clear
that the uncritical application of the concept could lead to overly
simplistic approaches to analysis and management of ecosystem
health."
One of the critical issues of our time is the dwindling capacity of the planet to provide life support for a large and growing human population. Based on a symposium on ecosystem health, Managing for Healthy Ecosystems identifies key issues that must be resolved if there is to be progress in this complex area, such as:
· Evolving methods for regional ecosystem health assessment employing complex adaptive systems coupled with adaptive technologies to permit accurate determination of changes in regional and global environments
· Issues and methods for assessing, monitoring, and managing diversity and its impact on human health in the context of climate change, agroecosystems, restoration of forests, politics, culture, and tradition.
Leading thinkers in the field provide a coherent synthesis and a benchmark for the practice of this emerging field worldwide. The more than 100 peer-reviewed papers are grouped into three major parts. The first, "Emerging Concepts," explores the diverse meanings of ecosystem health within ecological, socio-economic, and human health perspectives, and the linkages to related concepts such as ecological integrity, sustainable development, and ecological footprints. The second part, "Issues and Methods," introduces methods for assessing and monitoring ecosystem health, including strategies for gaining political and stakeholder input and support for science-based ecosystem management. The final part, "Case Studies," reports experiences of interdisciplinary teams grappling with specific issues in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
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