past, and our assessment is not retrospective. We discuss concepts and measures that
could mitigate pressure on the environment and promote the survival of species and
ecosystems. Zero Use, for example, is only one of the various options—yet it is often
more of a beautiful idea rather than a realistic proposition. Instead, we endorse an
enhanced cultural and creative dimension to conservation planning and management: for example, by organizing sociocultural mechanisms that include education,
private or public investments, and legal restrictions.
This report is ordered chronologically, from basic facts and data to ideas, visions
and solutions. In the first section (after Material and Methods), we focus on the
basics around the theme of the book, i.e. environmental history, environmental
consciousness, and on the meaning of communication and education.
The second section is related to current challenges: from the increasing use of
resources over general evaluation schemes and normative solutions, to environmental indicators, biodiversity conservation strategies, and the meaning of economies.
We acknowledge that humans, plants and animals are competing for resources. We
also acknowledge that water use, land use and environmental conditions change
along an increasing pressure gradient by a growing human population. The question
therefore is: what does this mean for biodiversity and the reliability of environmental
processes?
The third section is related to rare, endemic, and/or threatened species, their
affinity to habitats, and the prospective management and development of ecosystem
types to mitigate the impact of human influences.
The fourth section purports ideas, visions, and possible solutions which at the
moment seems far from possible. However, such discussions are often important to
find acceptable possibilities.
2 Material and Methods
This synthesis report represents considerations and conclusions of authors who took
part in publishing a book on Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Like
other synthesis reports, this meta-analysis does not show references. However, all
relevant sources plus additional information can be found in the relating chapters of
the book. This report reflects different analyses and results from various co-authors
and disciplines. However, we have tried to combine all of them within the central
focus of biodiversity conservation.
Landscape ecology was borne from the idea of understanding human impacts on
the environment. We use the term landscape in a very broad sense. Landscapes are
composed of different structures and habitats, arranged and influenced by both
natural and sociocultural processes, and harbour characteristic and often unique
species assemblages. Thus, e.g. aquatic, urban, and natural landscapes are included
here, and are the most common scale of understanding human impacts.
Habitats are landscape units with characteristic structures and species assemblages. These can be grouped into habitat types, i.e. typical formations and
Land Use Change and the Future of Biodiversity
455
could mitigate pressure on the environment and promote the survival of species and
ecosystems. Zero Use, for example, is only one of the various options—yet it is often
more of a beautiful idea rather than a realistic proposition. Instead, we endorse an
enhanced cultural and creative dimension to conservation planning and management: for example, by organizing sociocultural mechanisms that include education,
private or public investments, and legal restrictions.
This report is ordered chronologically, from basic facts and data to ideas, visions
and solutions. In the first section (after Material and Methods), we focus on the
basics around the theme of the book, i.e. environmental history, environmental
consciousness, and on the meaning of communication and education.
The second section is related to current challenges: from the increasing use of
resources over general evaluation schemes and normative solutions, to environmental indicators, biodiversity conservation strategies, and the meaning of economies.
We acknowledge that humans, plants and animals are competing for resources. We
also acknowledge that water use, land use and environmental conditions change
along an increasing pressure gradient by a growing human population. The question
therefore is: what does this mean for biodiversity and the reliability of environmental
processes?
The third section is related to rare, endemic, and/or threatened species, their
affinity to habitats, and the prospective management and development of ecosystem
types to mitigate the impact of human influences.
The fourth section purports ideas, visions, and possible solutions which at the
moment seems far from possible. However, such discussions are often important to
find acceptable possibilities.
2 Material and Methods
This synthesis report represents considerations and conclusions of authors who took
part in publishing a book on Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Like
other synthesis reports, this meta-analysis does not show references. However, all
relevant sources plus additional information can be found in the relating chapters of
the book. This report reflects different analyses and results from various co-authors
and disciplines. However, we have tried to combine all of them within the central
focus of biodiversity conservation.
Landscape ecology was borne from the idea of understanding human impacts on
the environment. We use the term landscape in a very broad sense. Landscapes are
composed of different structures and habitats, arranged and influenced by both
natural and sociocultural processes, and harbour characteristic and often unique
species assemblages. Thus, e.g. aquatic, urban, and natural landscapes are included
here, and are the most common scale of understanding human impacts.
Habitats are landscape units with characteristic structures and species assemblages. These can be grouped into habitat types, i.e. typical formations and
Land Use Change and the Future of Biodiversity
455