The Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection.

Essay by dainty12 October 2005

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Recent growth in scientific knowledge has helped humanity comprehend the complex relationships in ecosystems and the devastating effects of human interference. As a result we have become increasingly aware of the need to protect and manage the ecosystems that we do have remaining for their utility, genetic, intrinsic and heritage values and also for the need to allow natural change and thus evolution to take place. Natural ecosystems have provided much that has been of benefit to humanity and with careful protection it can last for many more generations. Management strategies involving sustainable development, total preservation and the educating of the populace are becoming progressively more important in today's society and for the protection of ecosystems. Ecosystems such as the Amazon basin with its rich biodiversity including swamps, mangroves, forests and savannah and coral reefs with their large biodiversity of fish species are under threat from development and are shrinking rapidly.

Preservation of ecosystems is important as an insurance to keep the Earth suitable for human occupancy and is more valuable as a long term investment.

The utility value of an ecosystem is a particularly important factor regarding the importance of management and protection. Ecosystems prevent accumulation of waste, they help clean water and soil of pollutants, recycle vital chemical elements and conserve soil and water resources. Loss of biodiversity caused by humans may threaten the capacity of ecosystems to capture energy through photosynthesis, cycle nutrients and resist or adapt to the step functional change. They parts of the ecosystem are used by humans as medicines, pigments, fibres, poisons, chemicals, perfumes and food. Over 25% of prescriptions in the USA contain drugs made form organisms and more that 40% of medicines contain a natural substance as an active ingredient and are worth over $US 40 Billion each year. In 80%...