Applied ecology in an era of accelerating global change

Background/Question/Methods

Robert McIntosh noted that many ecologists are involved in applied ecology. In the broadest sense, applied ecology is focused on the management of ecological resources. The sub-disciplines of applied ecology were formed primarily to address the effects of human activities on species, populations, or ecosystems and provide the scientific information necessary for management decisions and policies that would maintain or improve resource conditions. Most areas of “natural resource” management, including forestry, fisheries, wildlife, and range management, and weed science/invasive species ecology, had their formal beginnings in the late 1800’s through mid-1900s. Wetland science, restoration ecology, and conservation biology emerged in the 1980s as ecologists began to recognize the far-reaching effects of environmental degradation, loss of biological diversity, and climate change. This progression continued in the 1990s with the initiation of urban ecology and global change biology. In this presentation, we ask if there are unifying concepts and new technologies that have furthered the applied sciences since McIntosh’s 1985 book, and we identify some the primary individuals who have advanced these concepts.  We also ask if there are approaches for ensuring that applied ecology has impact in this time of accelerated global change.

Results/Conclusions

Cross-cutting concepts in applied ecology that follow McIntosh’s views include the role of disturbance in structuring ecosystems and the idea that successional processes are integral to restoration ecology and vegetation management. Non-equilibrium dynamics and multiple interacting drivers of change were integrated into resource management and ecological thresholds, tipping points and regime changes became part of the lexicon of applied ecologists. Increasing recognition of the importance of scale showed the limitations of much plot-scale research, but opened new avenues for landscape-scale approaches. New technologies including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), telemetry, advanced modeling techniques including bioclimatic modeling, and molecular methods revolutionized the application of science to management at larger scales.  Recognition that sustainability (resilience) is a function of linked social-ecological systems emphasized the need for scientists to interact and collaborate with both managers and local residents. Human activities have transformed as much as 40% of earth’s terrestrial ecosystems. Treating management actions – past, present and future –as long-term experiments can help develop and test scientific hypotheses that address real problems. Increased efforts to value ecological services can help both local residents and policy makers understand the importance of natural capital and integrate it into decision-making.