ECOLANDSCAPES
Category: Gray Merriam’s Ecology Blog
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Ecosystem Contributions to Human Wellbeing
The idea of “ecosystem services” has become a common rationalization for environmental sustainability propositions. It presumes fundamentally that human well-being is the supreme reason for all of our actions. An alternative view is that global ecosystem processes are more important than contributions delivered to humans. The processes that maintain the functioning of the global ecosystem
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Energy East and Oil in the St. Lawrence Estuary
In the 1970’s a deepwater oil tanker port was suggested for l’Isle Verte. Fortunately that proposal went dormant. But it has risen again as a proposal for a tanker port at nearby Cacouna. It is widely recognized that the area of Cacouna is critical nursery habitat for the St. Lawrence Belugas. The St. Lawrence Beluga
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Carbon Cap — at last
Carbon Cap — at last Misunderstanding and willful misinterpretation of capping carbon emissions has prevented a carbon cap in all but three provinces and nationally. Now in Canada, rational discussions are beginning. Let us hope that they are fruitful Conservative thinkers who oppose a cap don’t seem to realize that their objections also opposes
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Watershed Values
Watershed Values Using watersheds as our basic geographic unit has helped conservation of rivers and their drainage basins. Assigning values to different parts of watersheds will let us set priorities that will make our watershed stewardship even more effective. The higher priority previously given to downstream sections of watersheds by flood control programs is not
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Science in Canadian Culture
Science in Canadian Culture Across Anglophone Canada, science has not been integrated into our culture. In Québec, science has been integral to the culture from the time of early settlement. Work by Frère Marie Victorin (1885-1944) is an outstanding example. Today and for some decades, Québec Science has been a viable magazine for any
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Millponds: Nostalgic or Obsolete?
Millponds: Nostalgic or Obsolete? A few decades ago millponds and millstreams were subjects for painters of bucolic landscapes. They also were power sources vital to local economies. Over time they have lost their economic role and their beauty is stained by their destruction of valuable habitats. Most of the small dams holding back ponds
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Expensive Frogs
Expensive Frogs British Columbia taxpayers have paid about $250,000 to fight the invasion of bullfrogs in the Osoyoos region of southern B.C. Estimates for control programs for the entire province run into the tens of millions. Why get rid of bullfrogs? They are not native to B.C. and they are eating the young of all
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Ecological Connectivity– Some Basics
Ecological Connectivity — Some Basics. Simply adding or identifying “corridors” does not necessarily achieve connectivity. Connectivity is a measure of how well organisms can move through the landscape. The spatially mappable connections in the landscape are better referred to as connectedness and do not necessarily indicate connectivity. The objective of conserving or repairing
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Conservation – Science and Aesthetics
Science and Aesthetics in Conservation Conservationists have struggled for decades to put their recommendations and management practices onto a sound and transparent scientific basis. The thought was that both government bodies and the public were more likely to apply the results of conservation research if results had the blessing of
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Renewing Friendships in the Low Arctic
In mid-July we returned to the coastal mainland of the low arctic at Bathurst Inlet. We had visited eight years earlier. In 2004 I rationalized the trip to celebrate successful recovery from cardiac surgery. This time, I composed a complicated birthday celebration. It was a week past my 80th and six months past Aileen’s 80th