Ecosystem health towards sustainability. Issue 1 (16th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Yonglong; Wang, Ruoshi; Zhang, Yueqing; Su, Hongqiao; Wang, Pei; Jenkins, Alan; Ferrier, Rober C.; Bailey, Mark; Squire, Geoff
• Is Part Of: Ecosystem health and sustainability. Volume 1:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 15
• Publication Date: 2015-03-16
• Subjects: assessment methodology -- ecological indicator -- ecosystem functioning -- ecosystem health -- ecosystem sustainability -- resilience; Ecosystem health -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Environmental ethics -- Periodicals; Ecosystem management -- Periodicals; Ecosystem management; Environmental engineering; Environmental ethics; Environmental health; Environmental policy; Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1890/EHS14-0013.1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2096-4129

Abstract

Abstract : Ecosystems are becoming damaged or degraded as a result of stresses especially associated with human activities. A healthy ecosystem is essential to provide the services that humans and the natural environment require and has tremendous social and economic value. Exploration of the definition of ecosystem health includes what constitutes health and what it means to be healthy. To evaluate ecosystem health, it is necessary to quantify ecosystem conditions using a variety of indicators. In this paper, the main principles and criteria for indicator selection, classification of indicators for different kinds of ecosystems, the most appropriate indicators for measuring ecosystem sustainability, and various methods and models for the assessment of ecosystem health are presented. Drivers, sustainability, and resilience are considered to be critical factors for ecosystem health and its assessment. Effective integration of ecological understanding with socioeconomic, biophysical, biogeochemical, and public‐policy dimensions is still the primary challenge in this field, and devising workable strategies to achieve and maintain ecosystem health is a key future challenge.