Ecosystem Management and Human Impact on Land Systems

Ecosystem management

A method of caring for the environment that tries to balance ecological health, social needs, and economic activity in a single system.

Biotic components

Living things (plants, animals, humans, fungi, etc.).

Abiotic components

Non-living things (soil, water, climate).

Ecosystem

An interacting group of living and non-living things in a defined area.

Management

Making choices to meet certain goals (like protecting a park, conserving elk, or allowing logging without ruining the forest).

Ecological Integrity

Letting nature run its course without human interference; in national parks, this is the top priority.

Federal Parks

Managed by Parks Canada with the goal of preservation of nature and the guiding principle of ecological integrity.

Provincial Parks

Managed by provincial government with the goal of conservation with some use and the guiding principle of sustainable use.

IUCN's Five-Step Approach

A framework that includes defining the geographic area and stakeholders, involving affected parties, understanding ecosystem function, identifying threats, and considering economic context.

Geographic area and stakeholders

The first step in IUCN's Five-Step Approach, focusing on defining the area and those involved.

Invasive species

Species that are non-native to an ecosystem and can cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

Species at risk

Species that are threatened or endangered and require protection to prevent extinction.

Sustainable harvesting

The practice of collecting resources in a way that meets current needs without compromising future availability.

Ecosystem services

Benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including water, wood, and tourism.

Long-term adaptive management

A management approach that involves making flexible plans that can change as more is learned or as ecosystems change.

Pollution

The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment.

Habitat loss

The destruction or alteration of the natural environment where a species lives, often due to human activities.

Overuse

The excessive use of resources leading to depletion or degradation of the ecosystem.

Ecological health

The condition of an ecosystem in terms of its ability to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Economic context

The relationship between economic activities and the natural environment, including how they impact each other.

Coordination across space

The management practice of considering ecological connections that cross geographical and political boundaries.

Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP)

A national park in Manitoba, heavily forested.

Bovine TB

A disease carried by elk from the park that affects cattle.

Biosphere Reserve Design

A solution to manage the conflict between elk grazing and farming.

Core areas

Protected parks within a biosphere reserve.

Corridors for animal movement

Designated pathways that allow elk to travel safely between RMNP and Duck Mountain.

Buffer zones

Areas where human use is carefully managed, such as moving cattle during elk migration.

Biosphere reserves

Areas that allow for multiple uses such as tourism, farming, and conservation within zoned areas.

Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve

An example of a biosphere reserve that uses all 5 steps of ecosystem management.

IUCN Red List

An international global list of endangered species.

Species at Risk Act (SARA)

A Canadian federal law that prevents extinction and creates recovery plans.

MB Endangered Species Act

A Manitoba provincial law that protects species in Manitoba.

Extinct

A risk category indicating a species that no longer exists (e.g., Sea Mink).

Extirpated

A risk category indicating a species that is gone from Canada but still exists elsewhere (e.g., Prairie Chicken).

Endangered

A risk category indicating a species at high risk of extinction (e.g., Swift Fox).

Threatened

A risk category indicating a species that could soon become endangered (e.g., Wood Bison).

Special Concern

A risk category indicating a species not yet endangered but showing signs of trouble (e.g., Sea Otter).

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Knowledge used in managing species like Manitoba's woodland caribou.

RENEW program

A program that includes recovery planning for species at risk.

Alien Invasive Species (AIS)

Non-native species that outcompete native species due to lack of natural predators or controls.

Zebra mussels

Invasive species that clog pipes, eat algae, and affect fish.

Rusty crayfish

Aggressive invasive species that outcompete native species.

Purple loosestrife

Decorative invasive plant that takes over wetlands.

Ecosystem Approach: Step A

Define the ecosystem and stakeholders by picking a geographic area to manage and identifying all people and groups who depend on or are affected by that ecosystem.

Ecosystem Approach: Step B

Understand the ecosystem by studying its structure and function, and monitoring biodiversity, water flow, soil quality, etc.

Ecosystem Approach: Step C

Consider the economic context by identifying economic activities that rely on the ecosystem, such as tourism, farming, and logging.

Forests and Ecosystem Services

Forests provide timber and paper, carbon storage, air and water purification, wildlife habitat, and recreation.

Boreal Forest

The largest forest type in Canada, characterized by cold-adapted trees.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

A forest type located in eastern Canada.

Coastal Rainforest

A forest type found in British Columbia, including the Great Bear Rainforest.

Forest vertical structure

The arrangement of different layers in a forest: canopy, understory, and forest floor.

Canopy

The upper layer of a forest formed by treetops that capture sunlight.

Understory

The layer of a forest consisting of shrubs and small trees beneath the canopy.

Forest floor

The bottom layer of a forest, home to fungi, insects, and decomposers.

Selective Cutting

A harvesting method where specific trees are cut while leaving the rest, resulting in less damage to biodiversity.

Clear Cutting

A harvesting method where all trees in a large area are cut down, which is fast and efficient but destroys habitat if not replanted.

Old-Growth Forest

A very old forest with complex structure and high biodiversity, typically over 100 years old.

Second-Growth Forest

A forest that regrows after logging or fire, characterized by more uniformity.

Sustainable Forestry

A practice that plans harvests so forests can regrow, using monitoring and certification, and combining science with Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Great Bear Rainforest

A BC example of sustainable forestry, negotiated by Indigenous communities, government, and industry, focusing on zoning, species protection, and long-term ecological health.

Adaptive Management

A flexible management approach that updates plans based on new knowledge and changing ecosystems.

Federal National Parks

Parks managed by Parks Canada, focusing on ecological integrity and preserving nature.

Minimum Viable Population (MVP)

The smallest number of individuals needed in a population to maintain genetic health and avoid extinction.

Biosphere Reserve

A model for ecosystem management with core zones, corridors, and buffer zones.

Core Zones

Protected areas where nature is preserved, such as Riding Mountain National Park.

Corridors

Wildlife paths that connect protected zones and allow safe animal migration.

Causes of Risk

Factors leading to species risk, including habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

SARA (Species at Risk Act, Canada)

Legislation aimed at preventing extinction and requiring recovery plans.

COSEWIC

A scientific panel that assesses and decides species' status.

Manitoba Endangered Species Act

Local legislation that protects species at risk.

Alien invasive species

Organisms that humans introduced to a place where they don't naturally occur.

Why They Spread

Reasons include no natural predators in the new area, rapid reproduction, and often being introduced through human activity.

Environmental impacts of invasive species

Harm biodiversity and disrupt food chains.

Economic impacts of invasive species

Damage crops, fisheries, and hydro infrastructure.

Health impacts of invasive species

Spread diseases.

Recreational impacts of invasive species

Reduce enjoyment of outdoor spaces.

Prevention of invasive species

Includes public education, boat inspections, and sterilization procedures at entry points.

What is a Forest?

Complex ecosystems made of trees, shrubs, fungi, insects, and animals.

Vertical structure of a forest

Includes canopy (top layer capturing sunlight), understory/shrubs, and forest floor (mosses, fungi, decomposers).

Case Study: Tembec in Eastern MB

Tried to mimic natural wildfires in tree cutting patterns, left some trees standing to maintain biodiversity, and used Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).

Problem with Tembec's approach

Nutrients usually returned via wildfire ash were missing because trees were hauled out.