How the Landscapesupports Biodiversity

Published by the Conservation & Environmental Management Division (CEMD) of the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment. Copyright © NRE 2008. NRE would like to thank agencies and individuals who have offered their comments and support. Design, layout and text by Micael Junkov. Translation to Bahasa Malaysia by Peregrine Services. This poster is published as part

of the Biodiversity Component implemented by the Governments of Malaysia and Denmark under the Environmental Cooperation Programme. The Component took off in November 2006 and runs until December 2009. Funding for this publication has been provided by the Danish International Development Assistance – Danida.

Notes: For more information on the subjects dealt with see A Common Vision on Biodiversity in Government and the Development Process and supporting guidelines which can be downloaded from www.nre.gov.my Untuk maklumat tambahan berkenaan tajuk-tajuk yang dibincangkan, lihat A Common Vision on Biodiversity in Government and the Development Process dan garis panduan sokongan yang boleh dimuat turun dari www.nre.gov.my1 FISRWG, 2001. Stream corridor restoration: principles, processes, and practices. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group. USDA. October 1998 revised August 2001.

There are five critical roles in which the land-scape supports biodiversity and ecosystem services:

Bagaimana Landskap Menyokong Biodiversiti

No. 09

Many species

Figures redrawn from Hunter, ML Jr. 1996. Fundamentals of conservation biology. Blackwell Science.

Habitat versus species

Few species

Riparian vegetation is an integral part of river ecology and may provide connectivity for some species in the landscape. It also protects downstream habitats such as freshwater and marine ecosystems (drawing from FISRWG, 20011).

Riparian vegetation and river ecology

Restoration of riparian vegetation and connectivity

Removal of vege-tation increases erosion and risk of bank collapse

Wildlife in riparian corridor provide biological pest control in adjacent farmlandInsects and fruits are food source for birds and mammals

USDA/NRCS. 2004. National Biology Handbook. Subpart B – Conservation Planning. Part 613: Conservation Corridor Planning at the Landscape Level – Managing for wildlife habitat. 190-VI-NBH, Nov 2004.

Drawing by Yew Kiang Teh

Understory vegetation filters contaminants protection fresh-water and marine systemsLight shade provides shelter for birds, reptiles and frogs

5 Supporting ecosystem services

Landscape matrix management supports ecosystem processes by emphasising biodiversity in the matrix. Losses of elements of biodiversity may impair essential ecosystem functions. Examples include organisms that play key roles in the decomposition of organic matter, pollination, seed dispersal, biological pest control, and the formation of associations between fungi and plants.

4 Maintaining integrity of the aquatic system

Aquatic features of landscapes such as streams, rivers, wetlands and lakes are critically important to biodiversity and ecosystem processes. However, the status of aquatic systems is significantly influenced by neighbouring land use practices. Adjacent terrestrial habitats such as riparian and coastal zones are integral components of aquatic systems. When degraded there is a signifi-cant negative impact on freshwater and marine biodiversity and ecosystem services.

3 Buffering sensitive areas

Rarely – if ever – will a PA encompass an entireecosystem. Consequently, the development of comprehensive strategies to preserve biodi-versity require the identification and protec-tion of sensitive ecologically important habi-tats within the matrix (e.g. streams and their associated riparian vegetation; limestone hills; rock out-crops and caves). Proper matrix management may significantly increase their contributions to overall biodiversity conser-vation.

2 Facilitating movement of species

Facilitating connectivity and movement of species in the landscape matrix may prevent populations of species in forest habitat from becoming isolated and fragmented. For plants, connectivity allows for movement of spores, pollen and seeds, and thus species and popula-tions. For animals connectivity is controlled by conditions such as appropriate vegetation cover or key structures (e.g. logs and dead trees). A matrix that provides a high degree of con-nectivity is critical since habitat loss, fragmen-tation of remnant vegetation, and increased isolation of patches are major reasons for the ongoing depletion of biodiversity.

1 Supporting populations of species

The matrix can be managed to support broadly distributed populations of many species able to thrive or at least partly incorporate the matrix into their range. This is important since more than half of all wild species exist principally outside Protected Areas (PAs), mostly in agri-cultural landscapes. Such populations signifi-cantly supplement populations in the combined PAs, Permanent Forest Reserve, and forest on state land.

4. Mengekalkan integriti sistem akuatik

Ciri akuatik landskap seperti anak sungai, sungai, tanah lembab dan tasik sangat penting kepada

proses-proses biodiversiti dan ekosistem. Bagaimanapun, status sistem-sistem akuatik sangat dipengaruhi oleh

amalan guna tanah bersebelahan. Habitatdaratan yang bersebelahan seperti

zon-zon riparia dan pantai adalah komponen penting sistem-sistem

akuatik. Apabila merosot, terdapat kesan negatif yang signifikan ke atas

biodiversiti air tawar dan marin serta fungsi-fungsi ekosistem.

5 Perkhidmatan ekosistem sokongan.

Pengurusan matriks landskap menyokong proses-proses ekosistem dengan menekankan

biodiversiti di dalam matriks. Kehilangan elemen biodiversiti mungkin menjejaskan fungsi-fungsi

utama ekosistem. Contohnya termasuk organisma yang memainkan peranan utama dalam pereputan

bahan organik, pendebungaan, penyebaran biji benih, kawalan perosak biologi, dan pembentukan

persatuan di antara fungus dan tumbuhan.

Terdapat lima peranan kritikal di mana landskap menyokong biodiversiti dan perkhidmatan

ekosistem:

1 Menyokong populasi-populasi spesies

Matriks ini boleh diuruskan untuk menyokong populasi pelbagai spesies yang tersebar meluas

untuk maju atau sekurang-kurangnya menggabung-kan sebahagian matriks itu ke dalam kawasan

mereka. Ini penting kerana lebih dari separuh semua spesies liar wujud di luar Kawasan

Perlindungan (PA), kebanyakannya dalam landskap pertanian. Populasi sebegini menambah populasi

dengan banyak di PA gabungan, Rizab Hutan Kekal, dan hutan tanah kerajaan.

2 Memudahkan pergerakan spesies

Memudahkan hubungan dan pergerakan spesies dalam matriks landskap boleh mengelakkan populasi spesies di habitat hutan dari menjadi terpencil dan

berpecah.Untuk tumbuh-tumbuhan, hubungan membolehkan pergerakan spora, debunga dan biji

benih, dan seterusnya, spesies dan populasi. Untuk haiwan, hubungan itu dikawal oleh keadaan seperti

vegetasi yang bersesuaian atau struktur utama (spt kayu balak dan pokok mati). Satu matriks yang

menyediakan kadar hubungan yang tinggi adalah kritikal memandangkan kehilangan habitat,

pemecahan vegetasi yang tinggal, dan pemencilan tompokan adalah sebab-sebab utama kemerosotan

biodiversiti yang berterusan.

3 Menimbal kawasan-kawasan sensitif

Jarang – jika ada – PA yang menyelimuti seluruh ekosistem. Oleh itu, pembentukan strategi-

strategi yang menyeluruh untuk memelihara biodiversiti memerlukan identifikasi dan perlin-

dungan habitat yang sensitif dan penting dari segi ekologi di dalam matriks (spt sungai dan tumbuhan riparian yang berkaitan; bukit batu kapur; singka-

pan batuan dan gua). Pengurusan matriks yang baik boleh meningkatkan sumbangan mereka kepada

pemuliharaan biodiverisiti keseluruhan.