View allAll Photos Tagged ECOSYSTEMS
Some of the most productive forests in the world are managed by the BLM in western Oregon. The objectives of the O&C forestry program are to manage for a sustained yield of forest products and qualities needed to contribute to the economic stability of local communities, and continuing forest values and health. This vintage photo depicts forest management that took place in the BLM’s Eugene District in the 1980s.
The Eugene District of the Bureau of Land Management, now part of the Northwest Oregon District, extended from the Pacific Coast into the western slopes of the Cascade Range, and encompassed 316,000 acres. The Eugene District managed several ecosystems ranging from coastal inlands to dense Douglas-fir, hemlock, and cedar forests.
The Eugene District and the Salem Districts were officially consolidated into the Northwest Oregon District in 2016 and now collectively make up approximately 720,000 acres. The Northwest Oregon District stretches from the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean, where the historic Yaquina Lighthouse greets thousands each year.
To learn more about forestry in western Oregon head on over to: www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/forests-and-woodla...
To learn more about the Northwest Oregon District head on over to: www.blm.gov/office/northwest-oregon-district-office
Photo: Don Smurthwaite, BLM
Not far north of Kalaloch is a gravel road leading to a trail of one of the largest cedars. I'm not sure this is the one they meant, because the trail did go further,
But I became obsessed with this standing ancient ecosystem nourishing the present in ways our species have forgotten.
From water sampling to ecosystem studies and trail maintenance, Union Mine High School students put their outdoor skills to the test at the Greenwood Creek River Access on December 5, 2017.
As part of a biannual class focusing on watersheds and ecosystems, students spent the morning in small groups rotating across the area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management in California. Jeff Horn, lead recreation planner for the BLM Mother Lode Field Office, helped oversee activities and provided a brief overview of the nearly 20,000 acres of public lands.
“Greenwood Creek River Access provides the public with access to the many outdoor recreation activities – like fishing, hunting, rafting, biking and horseback riding – that you would expect from such an amazing place,” Horn said.
Mother Lode, also known as Gold Country for its numerous mining districts, is a historic area along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.
Students hiked a short distance to the South Fork of the American River, which offers renowned whitewater rafting and fishing opportunities. One group of students measured phosphate, nitrogen and pH levels in the river with a multiparameter water-testing meter, while others learned about the importance of public lands in preserving native ecosystems.
A third group assisted with the identification and removal of Scotch broom along nearby trails. The invasive shrub has damaged the habitats of native plants and animals in the area, and can be removed with a specialized tool. Students also repaired a split-rail fence and helped define trail boundaries using downed tree branches.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to come out here before,” said Chris, one of the students learning about trail maintenance, who said he looks forward to mountain biking in the area with his family.
Union Mine High School teachers emphasized the importance of applying science studies in a real-world environment, and allowing students to see how biologists and hydrologists conduct testing and experimentation.
“For some kids, they have never been out on the river; they have never been on trails and hikes, so this is just a good experience to get them out of their comfort zone and hopefully make them want to come back out,” said Chad McGowan, a biology teacher and Science Department chair at Union Mine High School.
This event is part of the BLM’s ongoing mission to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Photo by John Ciccarelli, BLM.
This image is excerpted from a U.S. GAO report:
www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-717
COMBATING WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING: Agencies Are Taking a Range of Actions, but the Task Force Lacks Performance Targets for Assessing Progress
Glacier National Park is a national park located in the U.S. state of Montana, on the Canada–United States border with the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. The park encompasses over 1 million acres (4,000 km2) and includes parts of two mountain ranges (sub-ranges of the Rocky Mountains), over 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem", a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles (41,000 km2).
The region that became Glacier National Park was first inhabited by Native Americans. Upon the arrival of European explorers, it was dominated by the Blackfeet in the east and the Flathead in the western regions. Soon after the establishment of the park on May 11, 1910, a number of hotels and chalets were constructed by the Great Northern Railway. These historic hotels and chalets are listed as National Historic Landmarks and a total of 350 locations are on the National Register of Historic Places. By 1932 work was completed on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, later designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, which provided greater accessibility for automobiles into the heart of the park.
The mountains of Glacier National Park began forming 170 million years ago when ancient rocks were forced eastward up and over much younger rock strata. Known as the Lewis Overthrust, these sedimentary rocks are considered to have some of the finest fossilized examples of extremely early life found anywhere on Earth. The current shapes of the Lewis and Livingston mountain ranges and positioning and size of the lakes show the telltale evidence of massive glacial action, which carved U-shaped valleys and left behind moraines which impounded water, creating lakes. Of the estimated 150 glaciers which existed in the park in the mid-19th century, only 25 active glaciers remained by 2010. Scientists studying the glaciers in the park have estimated that all the glaciers may disappear by 2020 if the current climate patterns persist.
Glacier National Park has almost all its original native plant and animal species. Large mammals such as the grizzly, moose, and mountain goat, as well as rare or endangered species like the wolverine and Canadian lynx, inhabit the park. Hundreds of species of birds, more than a dozen fish species, and a few reptile and amphibian species have been documented. The park has numerous ecosystems ranging from prairie to tundra. Notably, the easternmost forests of western redcedar and hemlock grow in the southwest portion of the park. Large forest fires are uncommon in the park. However, in 2003 over 13% of the park burned.
Glacier National Park borders Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada—the two parks are known as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and were designated as the world's first International Peace Park in 1932. Both parks were designated by the United Nations as Biosphere Reserves in 1976, and in 1995 as World Heritage sites.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_National_Park_(U.S.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_...
OXNARD, Calif. (June 3, 2017) - Andrea Dransfield, a BeachCOMBERS volunteer, examines a California brown pelican found on Silver Strand beach during her monthly survey. BeachCOMBERS trains volunteers to record data about deceased marine mammals or birds along a shoreline, contributing to long-term information about the health of a marine ecosystem. (Photo by Jason Kraus.)
A firefighter uses a drip torch, a can of fuel with a flame-carrying torch head at the spout, to ignite the fire.
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Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant firefighters recently completed a prescribed fire, or controlled burn, of an 18-acre prairie at the site, two weeks ahead of a regulatory deadline.
“Burning the prairie in a controlled manner stimulates the germination of prairie grasses and reduces the invasion of woody plants to maintain a healthy prairie ecosystem,” said DOE Site Director Vince Adams.
The prairie ecosystem was the result of remediation of former lime sludge lagoons that settled out waste lime from the plant’s water treatment plant.
Seagrass ecosystems provide a wide variety of services that support human well-being around the world. Seagrasses play a significant global role in supporting food security, mitigating climate change, enriching biodiversity, purifying water, protecting the coastline and controlling diseases.
For any form of publication, please include the link to this page:
This photo has been graciously provided to be used in the GRID-Arendal resources library by: Hisham Ashkar
A spider hides on the underside of mangrove leaf during Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) study on above-ground and below-ground biomass in mangrove ecosystems, part of Sustainable Wetlands Adaptation and Mitigation Program (SWAMP). Kubu Raya-West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Photo by Kate Evans/CIFOR
Related research publication on mangrove:
Mangroves among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics
www.cifor.org/online-library/browse/view-publication/publ...
Carbon storage in mangrove and peatland ecosystems
www.cifor.org/online-library/browse/view-publication/publ...
For more information about CIFOR’s wetlands research visit: cifor.org/swamp
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Invite Only - JCSU's Smith Tech-Innovation Center hosted the Comeback City Tour for Charlotte. This Forum brought together local and national political leaders, civic leaders, entrepreneurs and investors to discuss challenges and opportunities within Charlotte's Innovative Ecosystem. Speakers included Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC, Congressman Ro Khanna (CA), Congressman Tim Ryan (OH), Roy Bahat Bloomberg Beta, Rob Hayes - First Round, Shiyan Koh - Hustle Fund, Charles Hudson - Precursor VC, Shauntel Garvey - Reach Capital, Tracy Dodson - City of Charlotte/Economic Development, Rick Klau - Google Ventures, Tyson Clark - Google Ventures.
I went for a wander intending to visit Sand To Snow National Monument, but found myself in a hike-in only situation controlled by The Wildlands Conservancy, and I wasn't geared for a long hike that day, so I spent some time in The Wildlands Conservancy before setting off to the far more accessible Joshua Tree National Park.
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Sand to Snow National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in San Bernardino County and into northern Riverside County, Southern California. It protects diverse montane and desert habitats of the San Bernardino Mountains, southern Mojave Desert, and northwestern Colorado Desert. The national monument protects a total of 154,000 acres (62,000 ha), with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managing 83,000 acres (34,000 ha) acres, and the USFS−San Bernardino National Forest managing 71,000 acres (29,000 ha). It extends from around 1,000 feet (300 m) on the Coachella Valley desert floor up to over 11,000 feet (3,400 m) in the San Bernardino Mountains. Over 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) of the national monument are within the San Gorgonio Wilderness area, which was designated by Congress in 1964. An eastern border in the Little San Bernardino Mountains abuts Joshua Tree National Park. A separate section expands the Bighorn Mountain Wilderness area to the northeast. 30 miles (48 km) of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail pass through the monument. The headwaters of the Santa Ana River, Whitewater River, Morongo Creek, and San Gorgonio River are within it. The park protects a significant wildlife corridor and landscape linkage between the San Bernardino National Forest/San Gorgonio Wilderness area, Joshua Tree National Park, and Bighorn Mountain Wilderness area.
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Joshua Tree National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of Los Angeles and San Bernardino, near Palm Springs. The park is named for the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert. Originally declared a national monument in 1936, Joshua Tree was redesignated as a national park in 1994 when the U.S. Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act. Encompassing a total of 790,636 acres (1,235.4 sq mi; 3,199.6 km2)—an area slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island—the park includes 429,690 acres (671.4 sq mi; 1,738.9 km2) of designated wilderness. Straddling the border between San Bernardino County and Riverside County, the park includes parts of two deserts, each an ecosystem whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation: the higher Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert. The Little San Bernardino Mountains traverse the southwest edge of the park.
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Source: Wikipedia
•Wang Shuo, Managing Editor, Caixin Media, People's Republic of China; Young Global Leader, •Morris Li Ming Shieh, President, China Guangfa Bank (CGB), People's Republic of China, •Hong Qi, President and Chief Executive Officer, China Minsheng Banking Corporation, People's Republic of China, •William R. Rhodes, Senior Adviser, Citi, USA, •Lord Turner, Senior Fellow, The Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), United Kingdom
•Zhu Ning, Deputy Director and Professor of Finance, Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, People's Republic of China; Global Agenda Council on Fiscal Sustainability at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2013 in Dalian, China 11 September 2013. Photo by World Economic Forum
If you look closely, you can see a deer head hanging on the tree – curing. (yuk!)
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) is fire successional, with a deep taproot and a definite grass stage. It is a valued species for lumber and pulpwood and was once important for naval stores (e.g., turpentine, pine oil, tar, pitch). It is fast disappearing over much of its natural range, partly through overharvesting partly because of difficulties in adapting it to current plantation and management techniques, but mostly due to reluctance of man to burn.
The thick, reddish-brown, scaly bark of mature trees helps insulate the tree from the heat of fires, providing some fire resistance, as do the thick, silver-white hairs found on buds when longleaf pine is in its grass-stage.
The grass-stage is the immature phase of longleaf pines. The thick silver-white buds, 1 ½ inches to 2 inches long, characterize longleaf pine.
A wide variety of wildlife depends on the Longleaf Pine ecosystem. Fire plays a major role in the development of this community, and is essential to the survival of certain wildlife species, too. Gopher tortoises, Florida mice, gopher frogs, and eastern diamond-back rattlesnakes are among the native animals in the ecosystem. Endangered species such as red-cockaded woodpeckers and indigo snakes are threatened by the loss of the longleaf pine habitat. The seeds are an excellent food source for squirrels, turkey, quail, and brown-headed nuthatches.
Unlike most conifers, the first 3 to 7 years of longleaf pine growth do not involve stem elongation. Rather, it remains a fire resistant, stemless, dense cluster of needles resembling tufts of grass. During this stage, seedlings are developing a deep taproot system below the ground and are capable of sprouting from the root collar if the top is damaged.
Once the root system is thoroughly established, the tree begins normal stem elongation and its sprouting ability sharply decreases. The taproot is usually 8' to 12' long upon maturity. In early growth up to 8 ft high, the seedlings become susceptible to fire damage. Once longleaf pines reach 8 feet in height, it is again fire resistant. Longleaf pine is one of many species that thrive when periodic low-intensity fires burn through stands.
See my other photos and learn more about the Longleaf pine! Or visit
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildland_fire_suppression
www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=2...
Ray, Janisse. Wild Card Quilt; Taking a Chance on Home. Minnesota: Milkweed Editions, 2003.
Stevenson, Dirk J., Karen J. Dyer, and Beth A. Willis-Stevenson. 2003. Survey and Monitoring of the Eastern Indigo Snake in Georgia . Southeastern Naturalist 2(3):393-408.
The ‘Ecosystem-based Adaptation South’ project seeks to help the Seychelles, Nepal and Mauritania to adapt to climate change, in part by restoring natural habitats across all types of ecosystems. In the Seychelles, on-the-ground ecological restoration will rehabilitate 29 hectares of mangrove and wetland forests, thus providing natural flood barriers. Learn more about UNEP's work on adaptation: www.unep.org/explore-topics/climate-change/what-we-do/cli...
Photo credits: UNEP
This project is building climate resilience of local communities in the cities of Vientiane, Paksan, Savannakhet and Pakse through the implementation of an integrated approach to flood management to reduce the impacts of urban flooding and to help manage climate change induced floods in a long-term. The project activities include strengthening technical capacity and knowledge management for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), developing city-level flood management strategies, and implementing urban EbA solutions, including protecting and restoring wetlands and urban streams along the Mekong River.
Learn more about UNEP's work on adaptation: www.unep.org/explore-topics/climate-change/what-we-do/cli...
Photo credit: EbA Lao project team
•Wang Shuo, Managing Editor, Caixin Media, People's Republic of China; Young Global Leader, •Morris Li Ming Shieh, President, China Guangfa Bank (CGB), People's Republic of China, •Hong Qi, President and Chief Executive Officer, China Minsheng Banking Corporation, People's Republic of China, •William R. Rhodes, Senior Adviser, Citi, USA, •Lord Turner, Senior Fellow, The Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), United Kingdom
•Zhu Ning, Deputy Director and Professor of Finance, Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, People's Republic of China; Global Agenda Council on Fiscal Sustainability at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2013 in Dalian, China 11 September 2013. Photo by World Economic Forum
Aambyvalley Rd.,Lonavala,Mah.,India
www.inaturalist.org/observations/8759213
Id.updated.
Probably A.tympanistis
Cefalu, Sicília: Redes de pesca na área do porto. Da fundação grega, a cidade, evidentemente, seu nome deriva da sua situação em uma rocha elevada e escarpada, formando um promontório (Κεφαλὴ) projetando-se para o mar. Foto: Gustavo Kralj / GaudiumpressImages.com
«Those three days at Bora Bora also gave us an opportunity to explore the rich Polynesian marine ecosystem: spotted eagle rays with their leopardlike skin, which look more like they are flying than swimming under water; loads of clown fish which, when you stroke the long tentacles of a blood-red sea anemone, come out of their hiding places; an encounter with a huge lemon shark was certainly a memorable moment but the high spot was another giant of the sea: the humpback whale!». Hugo
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«Ces trois jours à Bora-Bora nous auront également permis de découvrir la richesse de l’écosystème sous-marin polynésien : des raies léopard avec leur peau tachetée, qui donnent plus l’impression de voler que de nager sous l’eau ; de nombreux poissons clown qui, lorsque l’on caresse les longs filaments d’une anémone de mer de couleur rouge sang sortent de leur cachette ; La rencontre avec un énorme requin citron fut aussi un moment poignant mais le clou du spectacle fut celle avec un autre géant des mers : la baleine à bosse !». Hugo
The BLM manages habitat for 245 wildlife and plant species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and another 31 species identified as candidates for listing.
An even greater number of rare and sensitve species depend on the public lands, including about 800 species of rare plants. The list also includes birds, frogs, butterflies, fish and mammals. Rare and sensitive species are not federally listed as threatened or endangered but they warrant special management attention to keep them from becoming listed in the future. In some cases, the public lands offer the best hope for recovery of species threatened by encroaching urban or agricultural development. About 450 of these 800 rare or listed plant and animal species are believed to occur only on BLM-managed lands.
The BLM’s Threatened and Endangered Species Program works to conserve and recover federally-listed species and their habitat on public lands. The program also provides support for conservation of non-listed rare plant species with a goal of avoiding the need to list them in the future.
The BLM places a special emphasis on maintaining functioning ecosystems to benefit all wildlife and plants, and restoring habitat. Because the habitat of many species includes lands and waters not administered by the BLM, successful conservation requires extensive collaboration and cooperation with a number of partners.
Photo Credit: Nicole Montoya/BLM
Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) researcher Sigit Deni Sasmito measures the diameter of mangrove trees in a study on above-ground and below-ground biomass in mangrove ecosystems, part of Sustainable Wetlands Adaptation and Mitigation Program (SWAMP). Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Photo by Kate Evans/CIFOR
Related research publication on mangrove:
Mangroves among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics
www.cifor.org/online-library/browse/view-publication/publ...
Carbon storage in mangrove and peatland ecosystems
www.cifor.org/online-library/browse/view-publication/publ...
For more information about CIFOR’s wetlands research visit: cifor.org/swamp
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Xcaret. Water Park in Cancun
The Coral Reef Aquarium at Xcaret , the only one of its kind will transport you to the depths of the Caribbean Sea. It exhibits the biodiversity of the ocean's underwater gardens, with different ecosystems thriving at distinct depths.
Very few aquariums in the world have been able to exhibit long-term healthy samples of these delicate and complex ecosystems. More than 500 corals have been planted successfully at Xcaret's Coral reef Aquarium on the artificial reef structures, thanks, in part, to the unfiltered sea water continuous pumping system that allows free flow of plankton directly into the exhibit tanks, along with sponge larvae, corals and mollusks that start natural colonization processes.
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Xcaret. Parque Acuático de Playa del Carmen.
Único en su género, el Acuario de Arrecife de Coral de Xcaret te transportará a las profundidades del mar Caribe, al exhibir la biodiversidad de los jardines multicolores submarinos con sus diferentes ecosistemas de acuerdo a sus profundidades.
Pocos acuarios del mundo son los que han logrado mostrar estos ecosistemas marinos, por lo complejo y delicado que son. En el Acuario de Arrecife de Coral de Xcaret se han establecido de manera natural con éxito más de 500 corales en las estructuras arrecifales artificiales, gracias –en parte– al sistema de bombeo permanente sin filtro de agua de mar que permite la libre entrada de plancton directamente a los estanques de exhibición, así como de larvas de esponjas, corales y moluscos, que originan un proceso de colonización natural.
Chainsaw worker returns to the boat during low tide in Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) study on above-ground and below-ground biomass in mangrove ecosystems part of Sustainable Wetlands Adaptation and Mitigation Program (SWAMP). Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Photo by Sigit Deni Sasmito/CIFOR
Related research publication on mangrove:
Mangroves among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics
www.cifor.org/online-library/browse/view-publication/publ...
Carbon storage in mangrove and peatland ecosystems
www.cifor.org/online-library/browse/view-publication/publ...
For more information about CIFOR’s wetlands research visit: cifor.org/swamp
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Firefighters put out fires spreading in Sebangau national park, Central Kalimantan.
Photo by Aulia Erlangga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Coral formation at Lauderdale by the Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Florida.
SeaLife DC 1200 with Wide Angle Lens
An Eagle's nest (She's now feeding her young) .... situated securely in the midst of a large swamp (engineered by Beavers, at least partly in order to trap fish, which the eagles also love to dine on) .... in which a cow moose is grazing on succulent water plants. Beautiful, isn't it , the way all of Nature's elements complement each other?
Near Beaver Creek, Yukon, June 10. ( Best Enlarged somewhat)
The crystal ball contains living shrimp, plants, air and water. It has been sealed for more than ten years now!
A critically endangered Eastern Mountain Gorilla forages on a hillside just outside of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. A large deforested buffer zone of inedible tea plants has been created in order to keep the gorillas from leaving the park and disrupting local farms. However the gorillas still recognize this area as part of their grazing territory and are bypassing the tea crops to access the remaining patches of wild foliage beyond.