Question

Ecological adaptations are conserved through which process

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

Biodiversity – the variety of life on the planet – is essential for the economy and for people well-being, but one of the main environmental challenges facing the planet is the loss of it. Conserving biodiversity and maintaining nature’s capacity to deliver the related goods and services is became a priority at global scale.  

Climate change is already affecting biodiversity and it is expected to become one of the greatest threats to biodiversity during this century. The direct impacts of climate change on biodiversity include:

changes in species abundance and distribution;

changes in habitats which species occupy;

changes in phenology which may lead to loss of synchrony between species;

changes in community composition;

changes in ecosystem processes, functions and services;

loss of space for habitats and ecosystems (e.g. due to sea level rise)

Adaptive management of natural ecosystems is an iterative process in which management actions are followed by targeted monitoring. In the context of climate change, adaptive management involves the knowledge of potential climate impacts and associated uncertainty, the design of actions to cope with them, the monitoring of climate-sensitive species and processes to evaluate management effectiveness, and the redesign and implementation of improved (or new) management actions. For an effective adaptive management of natural systems under climate change conditions we need to (adapted from DEFRA, 2008):

understand that change is inevitable – species will respond individualistically to climate change;

make space for the development of rivers and coasts due to changes in precipitation patterns;

establish ecological networks through habitat restoration and creation – some species will move from their current locality thus the restoration or creation of protected areas, new habitat, and corridors between patches of habitats should be promoted;

aid gene flow – promoting genetic variability may be vital to enhance species adaptive capacity;

consider species translocation (introduction, re-introduction or restocking) and/or ex-situ conservation;

respond to changing conservation priorities (due to climate change) at local, regional, national and international levels by adapting conservation targets in the different conventions and conservation mechanisms/ plans.

Specific actions under an adaptive management philosophy include:

design ecological networks considering simultaneously the current and future conservation areas as well as the potential future threats caused by climate change and other pressures;

identify and restore areas most favorable for the expansion of existing habitats and/or create buffer core areas to protect arriving species from adverse surrounding land use or environmental conditions;

implement measures, within management plans and frameworks, that allow the natural development of coasts and rivers and ensure strict planning scrutiny;

retain or restore natural river profiles and floodplains, including associated semi-natural habitats, to increase the potential for maintaining biodiversity and reduce the risk of flooding downstream;

implement realignment of coastal defences to restore inter-tidal coastal habitats and natural transition zones between coastal and terrestrial habitats;

reduce the intensity of land use and establish landscape features such as headlands and hedgerows to enhance species dispersal.