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Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity and Environmental Change in a Tropical Mountain Ecosystem of South Ecuador

  • Book
  • © 2013

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Editors:
  1. Jörg Bendix

    1. , Faculty of Geography, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany

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  2. Erwin Beck

    1. , Department of Plant Physiology and Bayre, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

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  3. Achim Bräuning

    1. , Institute of Geography, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

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  4. Franz Makeschin

    1. , Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecolo, Technical University of Dresden, Tharandt, Germany

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  5. Reinhard Mosandl

    1. , Institute of Silviculture, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany

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  6. Stefan Scheu

    1. , J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

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  7. Wolfgang Wilcke

    1. , Geographic Institute of the University o, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

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  • Based on 15 years of comprehensive interdisciplinary research
  • Examines the effects of different land use measures on ecosystem services
  • Offers a sustainable land use portfolio with model character for similar regions
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies (ECOLSTUD, volume 221)

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Table of contents (29 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
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  2. Introduction

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. The Study Area

      • Michael Richter, Erwin Beck, Rütger Rollenbeck, Jörg Bendix
      Pages 3-17

    3. Environmental Changes Affecting the Andes of Ecuador

      • Thorsten Peters, Thomas Drobnik, Hanna Meyer, Melanie Rankl, Michael Richter, Rütger Rollenbeck et al.
      Pages 19-29

    4. The Challenges of Sustainable Development in the Podocarpus-El Cóndor Biosphere Reserve

      • Jan Barkmann, Sofia Eichhorn, Byron Maza, Frank v. Walter, Roland Olschewski
      Pages 31-40

    5. The Research Unit RU 816: Overall Approach in the Light of the Ecosystem Services Concept

      • Jan Barkmann, Boris M. Hillmann, Rainer Marggraf
      Pages 41-49

  3. Current Situation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 51-51
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    2. Landscape History, Vegetation History, and Past Human Impacts

      • Fernando Rodriguez, Achim Bräuning, Andrés Gerique, Hermann Behling, Franziska Volland
      Pages 53-66

    3. Past Dynamics of Speciation in Andean Mountain Rainforests

      • Konrad Fiedler, Patrick Strutzenberger
      Pages 67-79

    4. Diversity in Soil Fungi, Protists, and Microarthropods

      • Matthias C. Rillig, Tessa Camenzind, Julia Gawlik, Ingeborg Haug, Valentyna Krashevska, Mark Maraun et al.
      Pages 81-92

    5. Plant Diversity and Its Relevance for the Provision of Ecosystem Services

      • Jürgen Homeier, Florian A. Werner, Julia Gawlik, Thorsten Peters, Karl-Heinz J. Diertl, Michael Richter
      Pages 93-106

    6. Supporting, Regulating, and Provisioning Hydrological Services

      • Lutz Breuer, David Windhorst, Andreas Fries, Wolfgang Wilcke
      Pages 107-116

    7. The Carbon Balance of Tropical Mountain Forests Along an Altitudinal Transect

      • Christoph Leuschner, Alexandra Zach, Gerald Moser, Jürgen Homeier, Sophie Graefe, Dietrich Hertel et al.
      Pages 117-139

    8. Current Regulating and Supporting Services: Nutrient Cycles

      • Wolfgang Wilcke, Jens Boy, Ute Hamer, Karin Potthast, Rütger Rollenbeck, Carlos Valarezo
      Pages 141-151

    9. Natural Landslides Which Impact Current Regulating Services: Environmental Preconditions and Modeling

      • Jörg Bendix, Claudia Dislich, Andreas Huth, Bernd Huwe, Mareike Ließ, Boris Schröder et al.
      Pages 153-170

    10. Conservation, Management of Natural Forests and Reforestation of Pastures to Retain and Restore Current Provisioning Services

      • Michael Weber, Bernd Stimm, Maria Fernanda López, Andrés Gerique, Perdita Pohle, Patrick Hildebrandt et al.
      Pages 171-185

    11. Mycorrhiza Networks Promote Biodiversity and Stabilize the Tropical Mountain Rain Forest Ecosystem: Perspectives for Understanding Complex Communities

      • Ingrid Kottke, Sabrina Setaro, Ingeborg Haug, Paulo Herrera, Dario Cruz, Andreas Fries et al.
      Pages 187-203

    12. Current Provisioning Services: Pasture Development and Use, Weeds (Bracken) and Management

      • Kristin Roos, Jörg Bendix, Giulia F. Curatola, Julia Gawlik, Andrés Gerique, Ute Hamer et al.
      Pages 205-217

    13. Current Provisioning Ecosystem Services for the Local Population: Landscape Transformation, Land Use, and Plant Use

      • Perdita Pohle, Andrés Gerique, Maria Fernanda López, Regine Spohner
      Pages 219-234

    14. Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation Payments Are Key Factors in Mitigating Tropical Forest Loss

      • Baltazar Calvas, Thomas Knoke, Luz Maria Castro, Patrick Hildebrandt, Michael Weber, Bernd Stimm et al.
      Pages 235-244
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Keywords

About this book

An interdisciplinary research unit consisting of 30 teams in the natural, economic and social sciences analyzed biodiversity and ecosystem services of a mountain rainforest ecosystem in the hotspot of the tropical Andes, with special reference to past, current and future environmental changes. The group assessed ecosystem services using data from ecological field and scenario-driven model experiments, and with the help of comparative field surveys of the natural forest and its anthropogenic replacement system for agriculture.

The book offers insights into the impacts of environmental change on various service categories mentioned in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005): cultural, regulating, supporting and provisioning ecosystem services. Examples focus on biodiversity of plants and animals including trophic networks, and abiotic/biotic parameters such as soils, regional climate, water, nutrient and sediment cycles. The types of threats considered include land use and climate changes, as well as atmospheric fertilization. In terms of regulating and provisioning services, the emphasis is primarily on water regulation and supply as well as climate regulation and carbon sequestration. With regard to provisioning services, the synthesis of the book provides science-based recommendations for a sustainable land use portfolio including several options such as forestry, pasture management and the practices of indigenous peoples. In closing, the authors show how they integrated the local society by pursuing capacity building in compliance with the CBD-ABS (Convention on Biological Diversity - Access and Benefit Sharing), in the form of education and knowledge transfer for application.

Reviews

From the book reviews:

“This book is rooted in interdisciplinary ecosystem research. It provides a plethora of information on the structure and functioning of ecosystems, based on comparative field surveys and ecological experiments in pasture and forest environments. … The volume reflects the editors’ and authors’ commitment to sharing their unique experience with a broader audience. It is a fine book, an extraordinary, well-written, and well-produced synthesis of interdisciplinary work—and it educates.” (Sandra Luque, Mountain Research and Development (MRD), Vol. 34 (3), August, 2014)

Editors and Affiliations

  • , Faculty of Geography, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany

    Jörg Bendix

  • , Department of Plant Physiology and Bayre, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

    Erwin Beck

  • , Institute of Geography, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Achim Bräuning

  • , Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecolo, Technical University of Dresden, Tharandt, Germany

    Franz Makeschin

  • , Institute of Silviculture, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany

    Reinhard Mosandl

  • , J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

    Stefan Scheu

  • , Geographic Institute of the University o, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Wolfgang Wilcke

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