Essay on ecosystems and how they work

Abstract

This essay seeks to explain how proper stewardship and sustainability can help promote the conservation of an ecosystem. The essay draws an illustration from occurrence at the Easter Island to emphasize how poor stewardship and lack of sustainability can cause severe environmental problems. Both stewardship and sustainable resource use are also defined and discussed. In reference to Amazon, environmental implications of deforestation are explored. An opinion on whether the entire Amazon can be conserved through wise use or a section within it should be conserved without any use is also given.
When Polynesians first landed at the Easter Island, the Island had rich vegetation of palm trees (Diamond, 2005). However, after what many authors believe is several years of environmental degradation, the land became barren with little or no trace of trees. According to Diamond (2005), the environmental degradation witnessed in the Island is ecocide. It demonstrated poor stewardship and lack of sustainable use natural resources among the Polynesians. According to United States (n. d.), environmental stewardship refers to the responsibility for maintaining and improving quality of environment and is shared by all those whose actions affect it (US, n. d.). On the other hand, sustainability is a state in which the conditions are created and maintained, under which human and nature can exist in productive harmony whereby the requirements of present and future generations are fulfilled (US, n. d.).

Amazon forest

The Amazon is considered a home to an array of species hence one of the most diverse ecosystem on earth. It is about 61, 300 species rich, hereby; 60, 000 plant species, 1, 000 bird species and more than 300 mammal species. It homes about 20million (Weyler, 2004). This implies that this eco-region is very vital in life support system to the flora and fauna that directly or indirectly depend on it.
Stewards have emerged to ensure that the fragile ecosystem is maximally protected from human modifications that compromise on its ability to meet the need of the future generation. Local and international environmental activists work in attempts to influence policy formulations at both local and global levels to help in conservation of the forest through sustainable utilization of the forest’s resources, for instance, The Greenpeace, USA. Stewardship is very important for continued survival of the forest since it encourages responsible use of resources within the forest as well as encouraging activities that do less harm or pose little risk to the existence of the forest.
Despite efforts being made by stewards to sustain the ecosystem, Amazon is currently facing serious problems that threaten its chances of future existence. First, large area is being cleared for bio-fuel production (soy plantation) and establishment of cattle ranches to meet the demand of Brazil’s foreign exchange. Secondly, illegal and destructive logging and the presence of the logging roads into the ecosystem open the forest to other threats, including fuel wood collection. Another problem is alluvial gold mining along the Amazon River and the river’s flood plain. Both commercial and small scale miners cause destruction to the forest.
The deforestation of Amazon forest bears severe implications to the environment. First, deforestation results into loss of biodiversity. This implies that if nothing or little is done to ease pressure on the forest, many animal species that live in the forest may become extinct in future. Secondly, deforestation causes modification of global climate. This is due to reduced ability of the forest to absorb pollutant carbon (iv) oxide gas. Deforestation also causes destruction of natural habitat to various animal species. This may lead to their extinction in the long run. Loss of water cycling is another effect that results from deforestation.
While some would argue that the forest can be preserved without any use, I contend that the entire forest should be conserved through wise use. However, legislation should be set to prohibit any use that involves cutting trees. This is because the world population increases continuously and prohibiting any dependence on the forest would result into economic problems. People can be allowed to settle at certain sections and encouraged to practice agro forestry. However, corporate bodies using trees as raw materials should be restricted.
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References

Diamond, J. M. (2005). Collapse: How societies choose to fail or succeed. New York: Viking.
Weyler, R. (2004). Greenpeace: How a group of journalists, ecologists and visionaries changed the world. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale. Top of Form
United States. (n. d.). US EPA OSPS Environmental stewardshp homepage. Washington, DC: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.