A unit of Lasting Forests evolving since March 30, 1999
A Total Forest Management Plan and Wildland Management Decision Support System
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Bottomline Ecology

A recent book (2000) "Applying Ecological Principles to Management of the US National Forests" by the Ecological Society of America may provide additional context.

We see ecology as a study (implicit within "...ology"). It is the study of relations, not interactions (as often stated) because we see few true interactions (equal or consistent pairs of mutual cause-effect relations). The study is of relations, R, which, for example, in a 12-factor (N) situation there are 132 of them.

(R = N (N - 1)

The study is of the relations of plants and animals to each other and to the components of their environment. Things are related, often in surprising ways. Everything is not related in significant or readily perceived ways.

Ecosystems are merely nameable entities on the land (e.g., the pond, the stream reach, the hemlock stand, the rock face, etc.). They are assemblages of plants and animals and probably unique. They can be characterized and compared to others by the same name, one usually based on the thing that is visually dominant to people. They are not held (as described by some) to be organisms for there is no population, no driving sense of perpetuation and evolution, of survival with its biological rules of capture energy, store energy, and reproduce. They are not self-regulating (in the sense of having a fundamental objective or mission to which they are returned by regulatory functions). They develop sequentially and dominant plants and animals affect the survival and growth and reproduction of those that follow in sequence. In sequence, plants survive (or not), collect energy, store energy, and reproduce. Each invading organism undergoes selective forces of soil, temperature, etc.) and competition with others of their own species. Parasitism and predation are biological selective forces also working against each species and these are from other species. Trevey staff attempt to study individual organisms and small units of land, usually Alpha units.

Much of ecology is about words and subtle differences between them. This will be evident in the glossary. Many of the sub-topics are addressed within The Trevey and elsewhere within this web site. Biodiversity and decomposition, for example, are addressed elsewhere.

"Succession" is a major concept of ecology. That concept too has been tested and found wanting. It is no longer a singular concept and will be given special treatment as transitions.

Ecosystem Management

Ecoregions

Resilience (under development)

Carrying Capacity (under development)

Diversity and Variety

Endangered Species (related to Richness)

Abiotic forces are presented in several places including minor topics such as fog drip

Fire

Lightning

Of course the entire topics of fisheries, wildlife, and forestry are strongly grounded in ecology.

Acid deposition (acid rain) Climate change Communication of principles, services, structures Pollinatiuon Water purification Land use management topics Coastal and marine fishery Diversity Carbon sequestration Coral reefs Fire ecology Flood effects and causes Hypoxia Invasion problems and theory Nitrogen and carbon cycles Water budgets National Land management Aquaculture and its wastes Freshwater ecosystems Wildlife management Teaching issues Weed and crop ecology Agro-silvo-pastoral ecology Paleoecology Longterm studies Soil ecology Theoretical ecology Plant and animal population ecology Agroecological Urban ecology Rangeland ecology

At the right is a list of major topics of interest to a variety of ecologists, some very broad, others quite specific.

We can readily see differences in land -- here a pond, there a pasture, there a group of pines. These can be called "communities". Some people call them ecosystems. Studying communities is said to be important but perhaps it is of the same importance as ecology itself. Some people concentrate on "name" communities and try to describe all of the characteristics, for example, of "white oak stands." "Communities" is a way to categorize knowledge as it is gained. "Landscape ecology" categorizes knowledge at a very broad scale, not quite regional. "Conservation biology", a peculiar phrase for a peculiar group of interests, was said (1985) by Michael E. Soule to address "...the biology of species, communities, and ecosystems that are perturbed, either directly or indirectly by human activities or other agents. Its goal is to provide principles and tools for preserving biological diversity." Within that all-assuming domain of interests, people say that their work is protecting and assuring the continuity of entire communities and ecosystems. It is a good sentiment, sure to add membership for the organization holding the name.

You have indicated great social concern and a love of nature in stating the objective of maximizing the ecological health and stability of the ownership. This expression also demonstrates your ability and willingness to consider the long-term.

It is one of the most important of objectives. When you indicate this objective, The Trevey does two things. The first is too complex to interest most landowners so it is not described here. It is simply that several constraints are placed on recommendations so that thresholds will not be passed.

Stability cannot be obtained with too much or too little of various wildland management activities. These have been restricted on the basis of the projected consequences of making certain decisions.

The second thing done within The Trevey is to provide the following extremely well-researched general statement of what you should attempt to do in specific, almost daily situations, to achieve ecological health and stability.

The list, at first glance, will not appear very useful. It's greatest use will be as a checklist of important considerations, now not generally available.

How healthy? or, how stable? are questions only you can answer. Complete stability is impossible, even in a true wilderness. Nature is dynamic. The list provides guid.ance within the framework of your expressed interest. Staff are available for specific questions and project work.

What to do is clearly a different question than how much to do.The Trevey provides for you many alternatives.There are thousands of combinations of these alternatives from which you can select, many more thousands of sequences in which they can be practiced, and millions of different levels of investments that can be made. If ecological stability is a major concern, The Trevey will soon allow you to complete a special form indicating your decisions. It will then calculate an index of ecological stability. This index will allow you to decide the answer to: stable enough?

The following are statements of what you should do to achieve ecological health. All are difficult, some actually conflict with each other. Attempting to do all of them, balancing those in conflict isfundamental ecological work.

The words of maximize, minimize and stabilize can be viewed as graphs. Maximize means to increase indefinitely or until there is a limit or break-even condition reached such as suggested at point A. The lines may be wavering a little. It is very difficult to exactly stabilize conditions in resource systems.

The landowner should do everything he or she can:

1. To minimize inefficiencies in use of all forms of energy.
2. To minimize waste of fuel.
3. To minimize the amount of soil removed by wind, rain, and water.
4. To minimize siltation in waterways, and lakes and water coursei.
5. To minimize the losses in levels of high quality ground water.
6. To minimize the amount of construction on areas with flooding risks.
7. To minimize the losses of trees and other plant species, landscapes, and objects collectively perceived to be beautiful.
8. T maximize natural regeneration of forests.
9. To maximize the diversity of dominant species on all tracts.
10. To minimize the loss or decline in those areas or structures that have special historical value and interpretative worth for understanding the relationship between people and their environment.
11. To provide openspace within at least one half-mile of residents.
12. To provide specially designed outdoor recreational areas appropriate for all ages.
13. To minimize the average solid wastes of residents and to maximize the recycling of real and apparent waste.
14. To minimize the septic tanks or fields on improper soils.
15. To minimize soil compaction from grazing, vehicles, and other means.
16. To minimize the disturbance of areas with soils of high erosion potential.
17. To increase to a calculated desired level, and stabilize at that point, birds and mammal populations judged to be aesthetically and ecologically beneficial.
18. To minimize bird and mammal populations reaching population levels above which damage is usually done or disease conditions may exist.
19. To minimize introductions of exotic birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, and amphibians into the lands and waters of property or region.
20. To maximize the number of land and resource decisions that retain alternatives for future action.
21. To minimize allergen production from vegetation (e.g. ragweed pollen) .
22. To maximize water percolation into the land to minimize evaporation and replenish aquifers.
23. To achieve an air quality above those specified by state air quality standards or at a level equal to or improved over those conditions existing.
24. To minimize weather modification in the vicinity of the unit.
25. To minimize the need for and uses of pesticides, particularly the long-life chlorinated-hydrocarbons.
26. To minimize noise disturbances and maximize the buffering effects of environment such as vegetation on noises.
27. To maximize use of landscape design principles.
28. To minimize litter and appearances of disorder and inattention.

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This Web site is maintained by R. H. Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.