Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 3 of 3
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Ecosystem Health And Ecological Engineering, Robert Costanza
Ecosystem Health And Ecological Engineering, Robert Costanza
Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations
Ecosystem health is a desired endpoint of environmental management and should be a primary design goal for ecological engineering. This paper describes ecosystem health as a comprehensive, multiscale, measure of system vigor, organization and resilience. Ecosystem health is thus closely linked to the idea of sustainability,whichimplies theabilityofthesystemtomaintainits structure(organization)andfunction (vigor) over time in the face of external stress (resilience). To be truly successful, ecological engineering should pursue the broader goal of designing healthy ecosystems, which may be novel assemblages of species that perform desired functions and produce a range of valuable ecosystem services. In this way ecological engineering can achieve its …
Creating A Sustainable And Desirable Future, Robert Costanza
Creating A Sustainable And Desirable Future, Robert Costanza
Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations
The article suggests methods of social and economic reform as a means to counter environment impact of pollution resulting from dependence on fossil fuels.
A New Vision For New Orleans And The Mississippi Delta: Applying Ecological Economics And Ecological Engineering, Robert Costanza, John W. Day, William J. Mitsch
A New Vision For New Orleans And The Mississippi Delta: Applying Ecological Economics And Ecological Engineering, Robert Costanza, John W. Day, William J. Mitsch
Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations
The restoration of New Orleans and the rest of the Mississippi delta after Hurricane Katrina can become another disaster waiting to happen, or it can become a model of sustainable development. Sea level is rising, precipitation patterns are changing, hurricane intensity is increasing, energy costs are predicted to soar, and the city is continuing to sink. Most of New Orleans is currently from 0.6 to 5 m (2?15 feet) below sea level. The conventional approach of simply rebuilding the levees and the city behind them will only delay the inevitable. If New Orleans, and the delta in which it is …