Biolink zones
Encyclopedia
Biolink zones are a land use
category developed for biodiversity
conservation and landscape adaptation under changing climates. Biolink zone was first coined in 1992 to encapsulate a potential new land-use resulting from research on vertebrate
fauna of se Australia
and their prospective responses to climate change
(Bennett et al. 1992, Brereton et al.1995). Biolink zones are identified parts of the landscape where the functional ecological connectivity for biodiversity is enhanced and / or restored to provide space for species (and consequently ecological communities) to self adapt their distributions and abundances under changing climates through natural processes including: dispersal; re-colonisation; regeneration and restoration of ecological function (Mansergh and Cheal 2007).
Bennett et al. (1992) was among the first attempts to unify the themes of the Earth Summit
(1992) - both biodiversity and climate change - into an adaptation response for land-use change at the regional and sub-continental level. The abbreviated "biolinks” has become a generic term in common use and in literature (Wilson 2009) reflecting a broad resonance of the original intent of the new land-use type within various communities (land-use planners
, ecologists, community groups). In concept, biolink zones are equivalent to the "bold connectivity zones" later proposed by Opdam and Wascher (2004) for adaptation to climate change and are consistent with restoration of habitat connectivity to alleviate past and current fragmentation in Australia (Soule et al. 2004). Hilty et al. (2006) in a global review of wildlife corridor
s, suggests continental scale re-connectivity (biolinks) as the only realistic alternative for resolution of the global conservation issues of fragmentation
and climate change. In fragmented, agricultural landscapes of Australia, biolink zones have been proposed between large areas of remaining native vegetation
and potential climatic refugia with future landscapes supporting 30% > 50% of quality native vegetation and habitats, representing new bio-cultural landscapes more resilient under future climates (Mansergh et al. 2008 a, b). In more ecological intact landscapes, biolink zones become a purposeful aim of management (agencies) for explicit adaptation to climate change. Biolink zones can be viewed at scales from regional to continental. Establishment is compatible with carbon sequestration (soils and vegetation), improved landscape resilience and as part of a more holistic adaptation response of land-use to climate change (Mansergh 2009). In terms of policy development, defined biolink zones are a key policy direction for land-use change to increase the resilience of biodiversity in adapting future climates in Victoria
(Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria 2009). In the US, the Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act of 2009 (S. 1933) has been introduced to the Senate which would require federal agencies to produce a national strategy “to maximize the resilience of landscapes and to minimize adverse climate change impacts.”
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
category developed for biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
conservation and landscape adaptation under changing climates. Biolink zone was first coined in 1992 to encapsulate a potential new land-use resulting from research on vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
fauna of se Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and their prospective responses to climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
(Bennett et al. 1992, Brereton et al.1995). Biolink zones are identified parts of the landscape where the functional ecological connectivity for biodiversity is enhanced and / or restored to provide space for species (and consequently ecological communities) to self adapt their distributions and abundances under changing climates through natural processes including: dispersal; re-colonisation; regeneration and restoration of ecological function (Mansergh and Cheal 2007).
Bennett et al. (1992) was among the first attempts to unify the themes of the Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
(1992) - both biodiversity and climate change - into an adaptation response for land-use change at the regional and sub-continental level. The abbreviated "biolinks” has become a generic term in common use and in literature (Wilson 2009) reflecting a broad resonance of the original intent of the new land-use type within various communities (land-use planners
Land use planning
Land-use planning is the term used for a branch of public policy encompassing various disciplines which seek to order and regulate land use in an efficient and ethical way, thus preventing land-use conflicts. Governments use land-use planning to manage the development of land within their...
, ecologists, community groups). In concept, biolink zones are equivalent to the "bold connectivity zones" later proposed by Opdam and Wascher (2004) for adaptation to climate change and are consistent with restoration of habitat connectivity to alleviate past and current fragmentation in Australia (Soule et al. 2004). Hilty et al. (2006) in a global review of wildlife corridor
Wildlife corridor
A wildlife corridor or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities . This allows an exchange of individuals between populations, which may help prevent the negative effects of inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity that often occur within...
s, suggests continental scale re-connectivity (biolinks) as the only realistic alternative for resolution of the global conservation issues of fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
and climate change. In fragmented, agricultural landscapes of Australia, biolink zones have been proposed between large areas of remaining native vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
and potential climatic refugia with future landscapes supporting 30% > 50% of quality native vegetation and habitats, representing new bio-cultural landscapes more resilient under future climates (Mansergh et al. 2008 a, b). In more ecological intact landscapes, biolink zones become a purposeful aim of management (agencies) for explicit adaptation to climate change. Biolink zones can be viewed at scales from regional to continental. Establishment is compatible with carbon sequestration (soils and vegetation), improved landscape resilience and as part of a more holistic adaptation response of land-use to climate change (Mansergh 2009). In terms of policy development, defined biolink zones are a key policy direction for land-use change to increase the resilience of biodiversity in adapting future climates in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
(Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria 2009). In the US, the Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act of 2009 (S. 1933) has been introduced to the Senate which would require federal agencies to produce a national strategy “to maximize the resilience of landscapes and to minimize adverse climate change impacts.”
Sources
- Bennett, S., Brereton, R. & Mansergh, I., 1992. Enhanced Greenhouse and the wildlife of south eastern Australia. Arthur Rylah Res. Instit. Tech Rep. 127.
- Brereton R, Bennett S.& Mansergh I., 1995. Enhanced greenhouse climate change and its potential effect on selected fauna of south-eastern Australia: a trend analysis. Biological Conservation 72: 339-354.
- Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria) (2009). Securing Our Natural Future. (author, Melbourne). http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrence.nsf/LinkView/9DB1809566C926A1CA25767E001128C7A87712F40FADECFFCA25767300162346
- Hilty JA, Lidicker WZ & Merenlender AM (2006). Corridor Ecology: The science and practice of linking landscapes for biodiversity conservation (Island Press, Washington): 323.
- Mansergh I & Cheal D (2007). Protected area planning and management for eastern Australian temperate forests and woodland ecosystems under climate change – a landscape approach, Chapter 8 in Taylor M & Figgis P {eds] Protected areas: buffering against climate change : Proceedings of a WWF and IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas symposium: 18–19 June 2007, Canberra. (WWF Australia, Sydney).
- Mansergh I, Cheal D & Fitzsimons J (2008). Future landscapes in south-eastern Australia: the role of protected areas and biolinks in adaptation to climate change. Biodiversity 9 3& 4: 59-70. http://nstl1.nstl.gov.cn/pages/2008/173/00/9(3-4).pdf
- Mansergh, I, Lau A. & Anderson, R. 2008. Geographic landscape visualisation in planning adaptation to climate change in Victoria, Australia, In Pettit C, William Cartwright W, Bishop I, Lowell K, Pullar D, Duncan D [eds] (2008). Landscape Analysis and Visualisation. Lecturer Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography Series (Springer, Berlin): Chapter 23. http://www.springerlink.com/content/978-3-540-69167-9?sortorder=asc&p_o=20
- Opdam P & Wascher P (2004). Climate change meets habitat fragmentation: linking landscape and biogeographical scale levels in research and conservation. Biological Conservation 117: 285–97.
- Wilson K (2009). Gondwanalink meets decision theory. Decision Point 25: 10-12. http://www.aeda.edu.au/docs/Newsletters/DPoint_25.pdf