Community, Ecosystem, and Community, Ecosystem, and Landscape EcologyLandscape Ecology

China Cornish

&

Krista Gabriau

Levels of Organization

• Community– Populations of the different species occupying

a particular place make up a community.– It is a complex interacting

network of plants, animals,

and microorganisms.

Levels, cont.Levels, cont.

• EcosystemEcosystem– A community of different species interacting A community of different species interacting

with one another and with their non-living with one another and with their non-living environment of matter and energy.environment of matter and energy.

• a. Biotic Components- plants, animals, a. Biotic Components- plants, animals, microorganismsmicroorganisms

• b. Abiotic Components- matter, energy b. Abiotic Components- matter, energy

Human Communities: Ways to Human Communities: Ways to Reduce Negative EffectsReduce Negative Effects

• Decrease/eliminate the release of chemicals into Decrease/eliminate the release of chemicals into our homes and the ecosystem by:our homes and the ecosystem by:– Using organic cleansers and personal care itemsUsing organic cleansers and personal care items

– Using organic means of home pest controlUsing organic means of home pest control

– Using natural building materialsUsing natural building materials

– Not smokingNot smoking

– Not using pesticides for agricultureNot using pesticides for agriculture

Human Communities, cont.Human Communities, cont.

• Do not contribute to air pollution Do not contribute to air pollution and global climate change by:and global climate change by:– Walking, bicycling,Walking, bicycling,

canoeing, etc.canoeing, etc.– Not cutting down treesNot cutting down trees– Using alternative sourcesUsing alternative sources

of energyof energy

Human Communities, cont.Human Communities, cont.

• Limit urban sprawl and habitat Limit urban sprawl and habitat destruction by:destruction by:– Building in open spacesBuilding in open spaces

– Building around and between trees and Building around and between trees and habitatshabitats

– Building only as necessaryBuilding only as necessary• No building with the intent to sell. Purpose No building with the intent to sell. Purpose

and necessity, intended site, size, and energy and necessity, intended site, size, and energy design must be considered before any design must be considered before any construction is approved.construction is approved.

Human Communities, cont.Human Communities, cont.

– Incorporating a Community Center to provide Incorporating a Community Center to provide resources that can be shared, thus reducing the need for resources that can be shared, thus reducing the need for larger individual homes. Features will includelarger individual homes. Features will include

– Recreational areas/activities for adults and childrenRecreational areas/activities for adults and children

– Offices and computersOffices and computers

– A libraryA library

– A banquet roomA banquet room

– Laundry facilitiesLaundry facilities

– A “reuse room” whereA “reuse room” where

citizens can place itemscitizens can place items

they no longer need for others in the community to use.they no longer need for others in the community to use.

Local Plant and Animal Species

• Extant Species– Slightly over two hundred and

fifty plant and animal species are part of the Manistee National Forest area, according to park wildlife specialist Chris Schumaker.

– a. Animals- salmon, steelhead, American crow, snowshoe hare, cottontail rabbit, ruffled grouse, tree squirrel, etc.

– Plants- red, black, and white oak; sugar maple, beech, birch; big-toothed and trembling aspen; red, white, and jack pines; tamarack, hemlock, spruce, halls bulrush, etc.

Plants and Animals Continued

• Invasive Species– Very few non-native plant and

animal species are problematic in the Manistee National Forest. The issue of dealing with invasive species is small scale but continual. It is observed that many of the problems that seem to be taken care of recur. Most of these problems recur due to the lack of natural predators or control agents for the species.

• a. Animals- emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, white tail deer

• b. Plants- spotted hapweed, purple lustrife

Plants and Animals Continued

• Endangered Species– There are currently

five federally listed endangered species, but many others are on the closely watched.

• a. Animals- bald eagle, Kirtland warbler, karner blue butterfly, Indiana bat, piping plover

• b. Plants- pitcher’s thistle (found in the dunes of the Lake Michigan shoreline)

Agriculture

• Community SimplificationCommunity Simplification– An overall reduction of speciesAn overall reduction of species

diversity due to the effects of human activities.diversity due to the effects of human activities.– a. Effects- produces stressed communities that have fewer species a. Effects- produces stressed communities that have fewer species

as well as a superabundance of some speciesas well as a superabundance of some species– b. Solutions to Avoid Simplification- utilize native plant species as b. Solutions to Avoid Simplification- utilize native plant species as

food sources; decrease the amount of negative human impact on food sources; decrease the amount of negative human impact on habitats (habitat destruction, degradation, fragmentation, and habitats (habitat destruction, degradation, fragmentation, and restructuring) and on organisms (overexploitation, introduction of restructuring) and on organisms (overexploitation, introduction of exotic competitors, predators and parasites, and creating new exotic competitors, predators and parasites, and creating new pests); promote the teaching of ecology and evolutionary biology pests); promote the teaching of ecology and evolutionary biology in the educational process at all levels; in the educational process at all levels;

Agriculture

• Monocultures– Results from using a large quantity of fossil fuel energy, water,

commercial fertilizers, and pesticides to produce huge quantities of single crops, like corn.

– a. Effects- changes soil fertility; uses large amount of harmful and/or non-renewable resources; makes wind and water erosion a problem

– b. Avoiding Monocultures- adopt a system of using polyculture where many different plants maturing at different times are planted together

• 1. little need for water or fertilizer because root systems at different depths capture nutrients and moisture more efficiently

• 2. provides more protection from wind and water erosion because the soil is covered with crops year round

• 3. little or no need for insecticides because multiple habitats are created for natural predators of crop-eating insects

• 4. little or no need for herbicide because weeds have trouble competing with the multitude of crop plants

• 5. also, polyculture produces higher yields than monoculture

Characteristics of a Healthy Characteristics of a Healthy Sustainable CommunitySustainable Community

• A clean, safe physical environment of A clean, safe physical environment of high quality (including housing quality).high quality (including housing quality).

• An ecosystem that is stable now and An ecosystem that is stable now and sustainable in the long term. sustainable in the long term.

• A strong, mutuallyA strong, mutually

supportive and nonsupportive and non

-exploitive community.-exploitive community.

Characteristics, cont.Characteristics, cont.

• A high degree of participation and control A high degree of participation and control by the public over the decisions affecting by the public over the decisions affecting their lives, health and well-being.their lives, health and well-being.

• The meeting of basic needs (for food, water, The meeting of basic needs (for food, water, shelter, income, safety and work) for all the shelter, income, safety and work) for all the city’s people.city’s people.

Characteristics, cont.Characteristics, cont.

• Access to a wide variety of experiences and Access to a wide variety of experiences and resources, with the chance for a wide resources, with the chance for a wide variety of contact, interaction, and variety of contact, interaction, and communication.communication.

• The encouragement of connectedness with The encouragement of connectedness with the past, and the cultural and biological the past, and the cultural and biological heritage of city dwellers and with other heritage of city dwellers and with other groups and individuals.groups and individuals.

Characteristics, cont.Characteristics, cont.

• A diverse, vital and innovative city A diverse, vital and innovative city economy.economy.

• An optimal level of appropriate public An optimal level of appropriate public health and sick care services accessible to health and sick care services accessible to all.all.

• High health status (high levels of positive High health status (high levels of positive health and low levels of disease).health and low levels of disease).

The Importance of Happiness and The Importance of Happiness and Contentment of CitizensContentment of Citizens

• The previous guidelines display, not only the basic The previous guidelines display, not only the basic needs of the community, but also many factors that needs of the community, but also many factors that contribute to the attitude of the community.contribute to the attitude of the community.

• It must be recognized that the most important factor in It must be recognized that the most important factor in developing a healthy sustainable community is the developing a healthy sustainable community is the attitude of its citizens.attitude of its citizens.

• Our community will strive to foster positive attitudes Our community will strive to foster positive attitudes and the happiness of our citizens by promoting and the happiness of our citizens by promoting community involvement, teamwork, equality, and community involvement, teamwork, equality, and respect. Through this we can all work together to make respect. Through this we can all work together to make our community the best that it can be.our community the best that it can be.

The EndThe End

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