Ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation: a landscape systems approach
Desertification, erosion, movement of contaminants from land surfaces to aquatic ecosystems, elevated atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, loss of biological diversity, and deforestation all are functions of land cover changes associated with natural resource exploitation. These disturbances alter the spatial pattern of ecosystem processes that are dynamic components of landscape systems. Recent developments in landscape ecology demonstrate the need to explicitly incorporate pattern-process interactions when analyzing the response of natural systems to disturbances over large geographic areas. Since degraded ecosystems are both local and regional problems, it will be necessary to incorporate information on land cover heterogeneity when addressing the mitigation options and management techniques needed to rehabilitate these land areas.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6995631
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8805149-1; ON: DE88012010
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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