In early November of 2009, WWF convened the 4th annual Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Symposium. Titled “Securing Water for Nature and People in a Changing Climate,” provided a state-of-the-science review of climate impacts on freshwater systems, challenges to freshwater ecosystem conservation, the role of adaptation in water management, and provided a platform for the development of an adaptation based "conservation agenda."

In this video, Daniel Schindler of the University of Washington discusses his research on ecosystem changes in response to climate change and the importance of heterogeneity in maintaining eco-systems.  He likens an aquatic eco-system to an investment portfolio, and each species/population as an individual stock in the portfolio. A diversified portfolio is more productive over the long term and less variable from year to year. Similarly, the variations, say, fisheries would see from year to year would be much less than if diversity did not exist in the overall habitat and among the population of the species.

More info: climatechangewater.org
Produced by: WWF US
Year: 2009
Language: English

• Fuller
• Symposium
• Daniel
• Schindler
• heterogeneity
• diversity
• aquatic
• eco-systems
• jmatthew

Details

Categories: Climate Change