Tag: ecosystem

Counting on … day 91

23rd April 2024

Bio capacity is a measure of the ability of an ecosystem to support human life (a somewhat biased use of the term bio meaning life!) It measures the amount of food, fuel, water etc that the area of land can produce to support human life and the amount of waste  – sewage, pollution etc – that it can safely absorb. 

It reflects the regenerative capacity of ecosystem – how quickly, and by how much, can renewable resources be replaced. How quickly can crops be harvested and regrown to provide food? How quickly can trees be felled and regrown to provide timber? How quickly can fish stocks be replenished after the fish have been caught and eaten? How quickly can sewage be treated and returned into the system as drinking water? How much pollution can the air absorb before it becomes harmful to human life?

Bio capacity is measured in global hectares (gha) – ie land area per person. The global hectare is a land area that averages out land across the globe taking into account land that is more productive and land that is less productive. It measures how many hectares are needed to support one person.

Counting on …day 

22nd April 2024

Today is Earth Day. The first Earth Day was celebrated in the USA in 1970. It is now an international day of celebration (always 2nd April) calling on people to protect the planet. 

Do we understand and value the importance of the earth to our continued life and wellbeing? 

For example do we care about the health of the soil? A healthy soil has:- 

1. Good structure: A healthy soil has a crumbly texture with a good balance of air, water, and pore space. This allows water, nutrients, air, plant roots and microorganisms to move through it.

2. Nutrient content: A healthy soil contains the right balance of nutrients essential for plant growth. These can include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

3. Organic matter: Decaying plant and animal material improves soil structure, water retention and nutrient cycling.

4. Good soil pH: A pH range between 6.0 to 7.5 is ideal for plant growth.

5. Active soil microbiology: A healthy soil contains a diverse range of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes. All of which play important roles in nutrient cycling, soil structure and plant health.

6. Low levels of soil compaction: A compacted soil can restrict root growth and reduce water infiltration.

7. Low levels of soil erosion: A healthy soil is not easily eroded by wind or water, which can lead to loss of topsoil and nutrients.

8. Good water-holding capacity: A healthy soil can hold water, preventing it from running off the surface or being lost through deep percolation. (https://insight.study.csu.edu.au/healthy-soil/)

If we use our farm soils in such a way that it diminishes or destroys these attributes, then we will not be able to grow enough food to feed ourselves. Further we will find that we have also diminished or destroyed local ecosystems leading to a reduction in biodiversity – ie of wild plants, birds, animals and insects. And that will have a knock on effect increasing risks of flooding, of accelerating climate change, and – particularly with the loss of pollinators- further risks to food security.

Earth Day reminds us that we must live in harmony with the earth and its natural systems.

See also – https://greentau.org/2024/04/01/prayer-walk-for-earth-day/

Counting on … day 1.165

5th September 2023

Trees and forested areas are, we know, good for the environment. They cool the air, store carbon, absorb water before later releasing it. They support a diversity of plant and animal life. They protect and enrich soils. And they improve our physical health and mental well being.

Sadly tree overage in the UK is only 13% – compared with 38% across Europe and 31% world wide. 

Planting and looking after new trees and maintaining and protecting existing trees is surely common sense! And where trees are cultivated for use, including felling, that needs to be carried out in a way that protects and nurtures the ecosystem just as one should with a herd or flock of animals.

https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/forestry-statistics-2018/international-forestry-3/forest-cover-international-comparisons/

Counting on …day 290

26th August 2022 

https://www.greenpeace.org/international/act/protect-the-oceans/

“The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth, and it is the planet’s life support system” – Marine Conservation Institute. It too is under threat from overuse and misuse by human activity. Current negotiations s at the UN are trying to agree a treaty that would protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 – although it looks as if financial interests in making further profits from the oceans will water down any agreement. 

According to UNESCO, plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution and around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year – and in the last 10 years we have produced more plastic than in the last century! Cutting back on the plastic we use, and ideally aiming for zero plastic, we can be part of the solution. 

Eco Tips – Zero Waste 

https://greentau.org/tag/plastic-free/

 Counting on … day 122

14th March 2022

Another sign of spring: we have two clumps of frogspawn in the pond. Despite large number of eggs laid, few will make it to adulthood. Most will be an essential part of the food chain – including the dragonfly larvae which currently live in the murky depths of the pond but who will in the summer make their dazzling transformation to dragon flies. I wonder if we fully understand the role of life and death in the cycle of the ecosystem.