Basics of Ecology
The term "ecology" was first introduced by Haeckel in 1869. According to Haeckel, ecology studies the interactions between organisms and their environment. The term is derived from the Greek word "oikos," meaning "place of residence" (Nentwig et al., 2011). Ecology is fundamentally a natural science with a close link to nature conservation (often referred to as applied ecology). Ecological science provides data and "objective" insights about nature, describing the state of nature without evaluating it. The assessment of nature's condition – determining whether it is "good" or "bad," whether a species is endangered, or whether newly introduced species (neobiota) are displacing native species – perform nature conservation and environmental planning based on ecological data. Therefore, future Natura 2000 managers assess nature´s conditions and thereby ultimately reflect society's decisions shown through legislation or voluntary commitments.
Paragraph (§) 44 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) mandates strict protection for species listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive, referred to as strictly protected species. This includes a prohibition against "significant" disturbance, defined as "a significant disturbance occurs if this disturbance deteriorates the conservation status of a local population of a species" (§ 44, Para. 1, No. 2). Consequently, this prohibition necessitates that any activities involving these 'planning-relevant' species, as well as interventions in natural and landscape areas, must avoid or minimize significant disturbances to the species.
For any involvement with Natura 2000 and the European nature conservation directives, it is essential to consider the ecology of habitat types, and the species relevant in environmental planning and listed in the Habitats Directive. This requires a basic understanding of ecological systems as well as specific knowledge about the ecology of habitat types and Annex species. Thess specialized insights will be covered in Module C. The basic ecological knowledge relevant to habitats and species is covered in the following topics:
- Nutrient cycles and biodiversity
- Biodiversity
- Population Ecology
- Biogeography
- Habitat networks
- Neobiota
- Climate change and Natura 2000
Sources
Nentwig, W., Bacher S., Brandl, R. (2017): Ecology – A Compact Guide, 4th ed., Springer Spektrum, Heidelberg.
Baur, B. (2021): Conservation Biology, UTB-Band 5416, Haupt-Verlag, Bern.