246
often interpreted as an indicator of water quality because an invertebrate species
assemblage indicates prolonged conditions over a period of time better than several
water quality measurements would.
The biogeochemistry and physical characteristics of land and soil interacting
together with water in all forms (e.g., rainfall, surface-water runoff, groundwater)
have profound impacts on ecosystem characteristics and functions, and the biota
those ecosystems can support. Human land management to supply food, energy, and
water particularly influences these dynamics. While a full discussion of human
impacts on ecosystems at the land–water interface is beyond the scope of this book,
Sect. 9.4 provides a case study for erosion control that illustrates ecosystem conservation practices at the nexus.
9.2.2.4 Habitat Connectivity
The connectivity of habitats and surface waters across the landscape can significantly contribute to the functioning of ecosystems by maintaining the flow of
resources needed by all organisms to thrive. Conversely, habitat fragmentation can
isolate species from food and water sources necessary for their long-term survival,
particularly in the face of climate change that is causing plant species to change
their distribution to cooler and wetter locations than they have historically occurred.
Even in patchy habitat, connection of patches by corridors can allow gene exchange
while permitting herbivores to follow their host plants according to the appropriate
environmental conditions, and predators to follow herbivores. A species is therefore
more resilient against the loss of a single habitat patch when all habitat remains connected by corridors. Natural processes such as disturbance—due to factors such as
wind and wildfire—and river incision during seasonal high-volume rain events can
also cause habitat fragmentation by separating stream beds from their floodplains or
removing habitat patches, such as in a tornado.
Landscapes that are resilient to unpredictable events preserve:
• a robust set of natural processes,
• buffers to lessen the impact of disturbance on ecosystems, and
• connectivity that considers a variety of interdependencies and likely disturbance
regimes.
9.2.3 Biota
9.2.3.1 Vegetation
Native plant species that have occupied earth for millions of years and cultivated
agricultural plant species that have been around for thousands of years bear many
similarities due to their common phylogenetic origins. Domesticated food plants
exhibit several key differences from the bulk of the vegetation observed in the natural
N. Matthews et al.
often interpreted as an indicator of water quality because an invertebrate species
assemblage indicates prolonged conditions over a period of time better than several
water quality measurements would.
The biogeochemistry and physical characteristics of land and soil interacting
together with water in all forms (e.g., rainfall, surface-water runoff, groundwater)
have profound impacts on ecosystem characteristics and functions, and the biota
those ecosystems can support. Human land management to supply food, energy, and
water particularly influences these dynamics. While a full discussion of human
impacts on ecosystems at the land–water interface is beyond the scope of this book,
Sect. 9.4 provides a case study for erosion control that illustrates ecosystem conservation practices at the nexus.
9.2.2.4 Habitat Connectivity
The connectivity of habitats and surface waters across the landscape can significantly contribute to the functioning of ecosystems by maintaining the flow of
resources needed by all organisms to thrive. Conversely, habitat fragmentation can
isolate species from food and water sources necessary for their long-term survival,
particularly in the face of climate change that is causing plant species to change
their distribution to cooler and wetter locations than they have historically occurred.
Even in patchy habitat, connection of patches by corridors can allow gene exchange
while permitting herbivores to follow their host plants according to the appropriate
environmental conditions, and predators to follow herbivores. A species is therefore
more resilient against the loss of a single habitat patch when all habitat remains connected by corridors. Natural processes such as disturbance—due to factors such as
wind and wildfire—and river incision during seasonal high-volume rain events can
also cause habitat fragmentation by separating stream beds from their floodplains or
removing habitat patches, such as in a tornado.
Landscapes that are resilient to unpredictable events preserve:
• a robust set of natural processes,
• buffers to lessen the impact of disturbance on ecosystems, and
• connectivity that considers a variety of interdependencies and likely disturbance
regimes.
9.2.3 Biota
9.2.3.1 Vegetation
Native plant species that have occupied earth for millions of years and cultivated
agricultural plant species that have been around for thousands of years bear many
similarities due to their common phylogenetic origins. Domesticated food plants
exhibit several key differences from the bulk of the vegetation observed in the natural
N. Matthews et al.