what is the meaning of biosphere reserve?
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Background and context\n\nBiosphere reserves are areas nominated by national governments and designated under the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Since 1976, UNESCO has designated 356 members of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 90 countries. These include 13 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in the UK, designated in 1976/77.\n\nAs the intended functions of biosphere reserves have evolved considerably since the late 1970s, many biosphere reserves designated then do not match the current criteria well. These criteria are incorporated in "The Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves" (the Statutory Framework), adopted by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1995.\n\nArticle 9 of the Statutory Framework requires concerned authorities to submit a report on the status of biosphere reserves under their jurisdiction to the MAB Secretariat every ten years. In 1997, UNESCO requested the UK government to submit such a report with respect to all UK biosphere reserves. To date, the UK government has not submitted this report to UNESCO. This delay is regarded as constructive by the International Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves, which recognises the need for governments to undertake thorough reviews of biosphere reserves under their jurisdiction.\n\nObjectives of the study\n\nThis study considers the application of the criteria defined in the Statutory Framework with respect to the UK. Two main objectives were defined in the terms of reference:\n\n   1. to consider the concepts supporting biosphere reserves and provide advice on their relevance and value in the light of other designations across the UK;\n   2. to determine if there is any real wildlife gain (i.e., benefits to wildlife) to be achieved by adopting the designation in the UK and, if so, under what circumstances.\n\nFollowing discussion with DETR, the report takes a wider view of the benefits of biosphere reserves as "sites of excellence to explore and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development on a regional scale", as defined in the Statutory Framework.\n\nEvolution of the biosphere reserve concept\n\nBiosphere reserves have three characteristics that, at least in principle, differentiate them from other ‘protected areas’: they are part of an international network of sites designated by UNESCO, rather than by national governments; their outer boundary is flexible, rather than being legally defined; and the land and water they contain is administered and managed by more than one agency or owner. In fact, only the first of these characteristics defines all biosphere reserves. According to the criteria in the Statutory Framework, they should have three zones: a legally constituted core area(s) devoted to long-term protection, according to the conservation objectives of the biosphere reserve, and of sufficient size to meet these objectives; a buffer zone(s) clearly identified and surrounding or contiguous to the core area or areas, where only activities compatible with the conservation objectives can take place; and an outer transition area where sustainable resource management practices are promoted and developed.\n\nThis scheme has evolved over three decades, reflecting both experiences of practical application and wider trends in the fields of conservation and resource management, particularly the evolution of the concept of sustainable development and the growing recognition of the need to involve local people in the management of protected areas. The emphasis of the biosphere reserve concept has shifted from the promotion of conservation, science, and education to the notion of "sites of excellence to explore and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development on a regional scale" within a global network providing unique opportunities for exchanges of experience and collaborativ
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In a sense, the biosphere (the "layer" of the planet that includes all living beings) is a living creature. It's a complex biological system and it has homeostatic (balance-keeping) mechanisms that maintain life as we know it, while it continues to evolve.\nJames Lovelock, an environmentalist and researcher, is the author of the "Gaia Theory". In the 1970s he proposed the hypothesis that the Earth behaves as if it were a superorganism, made up from all the living things and their non-living environment. He argued that many global phenomena are controlled by the interaction of biological, chemical and physical processes. \nIn this sense, the Earth (Gaia, the name of the Greek goddess of the Earth) is alive. Lovelock's ideas have contributed a new view to the study of biosphere complexity. Read "The ages of Gaia" if you can, it's an enjoyable book! \nEven if you don't agree with this idea, I think it's beautiful, and could help people to realize the importance of taking care of our planet.
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a short account of environmental happenings that are endangering the blue and some possible solutions\n\nthese are some Mega threats that endanger the planet \n\nExstinction,over population,deforrestation,\nexcess carbon emissions,desertification(land...\nbad farming practises(landloss),\nerosian(landloss),watershortag...\nglobal warming,rising seas(landloss).\n\nEXSTINCTION\n\nwe harvest fish faster than they can reproduce,\nAnd habitat destruction,climatic change,\nexpanding populations,overexploitation,\ndeforrestation,desertification...\npolution are responsible for mayor looses \nof both flora and fauna,many for ever.\nwe are now witness to the first mass extinction\nsince the day of the dinosaurs.\nspecies are being lost every hour.\n\nOVERPOPULATION\nthe world population has doubled in the last 50 years \nthe fastest increase ever,since we became homosapian\n\neach year farmers have to grow food \nfor an extra 70 million people,\nmany of whom are taking the forrests place.\n\nDEFORRESTATION \nif it continues ,is that we could end up looking like Mars.Without an atmosphere ,without water,without air,\nwith out life\n\nthe rain forrest and all other forests are getting smaller every day.\nespecially in south America and Mexico.\nvaluable species of plants become lost \nand countles animals are killed into extinction.\n\nthe jungle of Lacadona one of\nthe richest environmental areas of Mexico\nwhich produces 70 %of the countries water,\nis home to thousands of rare species of flora and fauna\nis loosing hundred of hectares daily\n(2 millions hectares per anum)\ndespite nationwide campains on all tv and radio stations.\nnothing can stop the destruction,\nthe same thing is happening in the Amazon regions ,\nand probably in Asia as well,\nand it is also the case in Borneo\n\nthe forrests make most of the water that we can drink \nor use for agriculture(sweet water) \nsome is condensed from the sea but that reaches only the coastel aereas.\nthe bulk ,comes from the forests ,\nand the rivers come from the rainfall\nwhich comes from the trees.\nthe trees with precipitation,\nfeed the rivers when it is not raining\nand keep them running all year round.\n\nIf we kill all the trees,we kill the rivers .\nwe kill the rain. we kill us.\nthe trees also absorb the heat in the day \nand heat up the place in the night ,\nso they keep the temperature confortable to live in.\ntrees evaporate a mist which ,which protects us from the strong rays of the sun \n\nin the dessert the nights are freezing cold \nand during the days you burn up.\n\nCARBON EMISIONS\nthe world is producing more carbon monoxide\nthan the system can accomodate\nthe trees absorb carbon emisions ,\nwhich is poison to us and they leave the oxygen\nwhich we need to breathe.\nin the autemn the colder seas absorb carbon emisions\nthat is produced by rotting flora .\nand in the spring newly growing biomass \nutilises the carbon that is released by the warmer waters\n\nDESERTIFICATION\n\nbecause of bad agricultural practises \nand the resulting land loss \nfarmers are now cultivating highly erodable lands\nand deforresting vast areas\nthe sahara is growing by 7 kilometres every day.\n\ntwo major desserts in northern china \nare growing together making one giant dessert, \ncausing dust storms making thousands of people refugese.\nthe planet is drying out at an alarming rate.\n\nin the days of the dinasaurs this planet was under an aquiferus manta ,a mist that covered the entire earth \nand there were no desserts.\nCount how many there are today,and all of them are as a result of mans actions.\nthe sahara used to be forrests\narabia ,irak ,iran used to be fertile lands in biblical times\nGhengas Kahn burned all the forrests \nand filled the wellS with water and \nso turning vast lands into dessert.\nBAD FARMING\n\nBad agricultural practises is turning \nvast teritories into desserts ,because of \nover grazing ,the exessive pumping of carbon aquifiers. \nthe surface aquifiers alrea
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seems pretty straightforward, its an observation that this is a small world, and things interact, and while its good to save the forests here its also necessary to save the rainforests, the oceans, and the atmosphere everywhere.
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The Earth consists of several atmospheric, hydrologic, and mainly geologic layers. Its components are the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the crust, the mantle, and its core. The biosphere is a tiny layer in this composition and is usually not considered part of the physical layers of the Earth.\n\nThe geologic component layers of the Earth are located at the following depths below surface:\n\n0 to 60 km - Lithosphere (locally varies between 5 and 200 km) \n0 to 35 km - Crust (locally varies between 5 and 70 km) \n35 to 60 km - Uppermost part of mantle \n35 to 2890 km - Mantle \n100 to 700 km - Asthenosphere \n2890 to 5100 km - Outer core \n5100 to 6378 km - Inner core \n\nArea:\n\nTotal: 510.073 million km2 \nland: 148.94 million km2 \nWater: 361.132 million km2 \nNote: 70.8 % of the world's surface is covered by water, 29.2 % is exposed land \nLand boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 251,480 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)\n\nCoastline: 356,000 km\n\nMaritime claims: see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea\n\nLand use\nArable land: 10% \nPermanent crops: 1% \nPermanent pastures: 26% \nForests and woodland: 32% \nUrban areas: 1.5% \nOther: 30% (1993 est.) \nIrrigated land: 2,481,250 km2 (1993 est.)\n\n\nContiguous zone: 24 nautical miles (44 km) claimed by most, but can vary \nContinental shelf: 200 m depth claimed by most or to depth of exploitation; others claim 200 nautical miles (370 km) or to the edge of the continental margin \nExclusive fishing zone: 200 nautical miles (370 km) claimed by most, but can vary \nExclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 km) claimed by most, but can vary \nTerritorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22 km) claimed by most, but can vary \nNote: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nautical miles (370 km) \n42 nations and other areas are completely landlocked (see list of landlocked countries)
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mankind is natures greatest predator. the very top of the food chain. a nature presrve takes mankind out of the equation. therefore nature progresses as it normally would. species evolving and mutating to adapt to an untouched environment
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In ecology, an ecosystem is a combination of all the living and non-living elements of an area. Ecosystems are the smallest level of organisation in nature that incorporates both living and nonliving factors. They can range in size from as big as the Sahara Desert to as small as a pond. The term microecosystem may be used to describe a very small (often closed) ecosystem.\n\nIn general terms an ecological system can be thought of as an assemblage of organisms (plant, animal and other living organisms—also referred to as a biotic community or biocoenosis) living together with their environment (or biotope), functioning as a loose unit. That is, a dynamic and complex whole, interacting as an "ecological unit."\n\nEarly conceptions of this unit showed a structured functional unit in equilibrium of energy and matter flows between its constituent elements. Others considered this vision limited, and preferred to understand an ecosystem in terms of cybernetics. From this view an ecological system is a functional dynamic onganization, or what was also called steady state. Steady state is understood as the phase of an ecological system's evolution when the organisms are "balanced" with each other and their environment. This balance is achieved through various types of interactions, such as predation, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, competition, and amensalism. Introduction of new elements, whether abiotic or biotic, into an ecosystem tend to have a disruptive effect. In some cases, this can lead to ecological collapse and the death of many native species. The branch of ecology that gave rise to this view has become known as Systems Ecology. The abstract notion of ecological health attempts to measure the robustness and recovery capacity for an ecosystem; that is, how far the ecosystem is away from steady state.\n\nThe size and scale of an ecosystem can vary widely. It may be a whole forest, a community of bacteria and algae in a drop of water, or even the geobiosphere itself. Different ecosystems are often separated by geographical barriers, like deserts, mountains or oceans, or are isolated otherwise, like lakes or rivers. As these borders are almost never rigid, ecosystems tend to blend into each other. As a result, the whole earth can be seen as a single ecosystem, or a lake can be divided into several ecosystems, depending on the scale used.
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define sustainable....our society has been sustained for 200+ years on freedoms, enterprise and hard work.  if by sustainable you mean nature friendly that is a pipe dream created so that people will feel guilty for acheivement, be willing to modify behavior to suit the needs of a small minority that believe the world is controlable...these people need a good earth quake to make them understand that man is a very small effect on nature when she get's pissed off there is not alot we can do or have done to effect her.
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Ecosystems are about synomymous with biomes (areas of the world with similar climate, plants and animals).\n\nThere are seven kinds of biomes in the world: tundra, taiga (= coniferous forest), temperate forest, tropical rainforest, desert, grassland, and ocean. \n\nOf course, most places on the 'Net list more than 7 biomes.\nhttp://www.windows.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/tour_def/earth/ecosystems.html\nhttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/
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Conservation of Natural Resources \nConservation means the wise use of natural resources for the greatest good today, ... Are you enrolled in a natural resources conservation project? ...\nwww.agnr.umd.edu/ces/4H/pubs/ProjectGuide/Conservation.html - 17k - Cached - More from this site - Save\n4-H Natural Resources Conservation Project \nConservation means different things to different people, it all depends on where ... volunteer in the National Parks! Back to Natural Resources home page ...www.extension.iastate.edu/naturalresources/Conservation.htm - 8k - Cached - More from this site - Save
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Earth is the only place in the universe where life is absolutely known to exist, and some scientists believe that biospheres might be rare. The planet's lifeforms are sometimes said to form a "biosphere". This biosphere is generally believed to have begun evolving about 3.5 billion (3.5×109) years ago.\n\nThe biosphere is divided into a number of biomes, inhabited by broadly similar flora and fauna. On land, biomes are separated primarily by latitude. Terrestrial biomes lying within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles are relatively barren of plant and animal life, while most of the more populous biomes lie near the Equator.\n\nThe Earth consists of several atmospheric, hydrologic, and many geologic layers. Its components are the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the crust, the mantle, and its core. The biosphere is a tiny layer in this composition and is usually not considered part of the physical layers of the Earth.
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In ecology, the word ecosystem is an abbreviation of the term, ecological system. Some consider this the basic unit in ecology.\n\nIn general terms an ecological system can be thought of as an assemblage of organisms (plant, animal and other living organisms—also referred to as a biotic community or biocoenosis) living together with their environment (or biotope), functioning as a loose unit. That is, a dynamic and complex whole, interacting as an "ecological unit".\n\nEarly conceptions of this unit were as a structured functional unit in equilibrium. This equilibrium was characterized by energy and matter flows between its constituent elements. Others considered this vision limited, and preferred to understand an ecosystem in terms of cybernetics. From this view an ecological system is not a structured functional unit in equilibrium, but a functional organisation at dynamic equilibrium, or what was also called steady state. This branch of ecology that gave rise to this view has become known as Systems Ecology. Steady state is understood as the phase of an ecological systems evolution when the organisms are "balanced" with each other and their environment. This balance is achieved through various types of symbiosis, such as predation, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, competition, and amensalism. Introduction of new elements, whether abiotic or biotic, into an ecosystem tend to have a disruptive effect. In some cases, this can lead to ecological collapse and the death of many native species. The abstract notion of ecological health attempts to measure the robustness and recovery capacity for an ecosystem. That is, how far the ecosystem is away from steady state.\n\nThe size and scale of an ecosystem can vary widely. It may be a whole forest, as well as a small pond, or even the geobiosphere itself. Different ecosystems are often separated by geographical barriers, like deserts, mountains or oceans, or are isolated otherwise, like lakes or rivers. As these borders are never rigid, ecosystems tend to blend into each other. As a result, the whole earth can be seen as a single ecosystem, or a lake can be divided into several ecosystems, depending on the scale used.
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It's either a type of high altitude grassland (3000m - 3500m) or a ecosystem that exists on wetlands. I am not that sure, but do remember reading about it. Hope it helps.
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u also need to create a biosphere,,self contained sealed enviroment that has oxygen producing plants and also plants for food,and a filtering system for water. and a waste mangement system all self contained. and a communications system back to earth.
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Taiga (also referred to as boreal forest or coniferous forest) is a biome characterized by evergreen cone-bearing trees with needle-like leaves. Mostly these are in the pine Family. Most of Canada and Russia is covered by this beautiful though not extremely productive type of ecosystem.
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Sustainability is a systemic concept, relating to the continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental aspects of human society. It is intended to be a means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideals indefinitely. Sustainability affects every level of organization, from the local neighborhood to the entire planet.
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http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm