Ecological engineering : principles and practice

Chapter 1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 A Controversial Name ......................................................................................... 1 Relationship to Ecology....................................................................................... 4 Relationship to Engineering................................................................................. 9 Design of New Ecosystems ............................................................................... 13 Principles of Ecological Engineering ................................................................ 16 Energy Signature ...................................................................................... 18 Self-Organization...................................................................................... 19 Preadaptation ............................................................................................ 22 Strategy of the Book.......................................................................................... 24 Chapter 2 Treatment Wetlands ....................................................................... 25 Introduction........................................................................................................ 25 Strategy of the Chapter ...................................................................................... 25 Sanitary Engineering.......................................................................................... 26 An Audacious Idea ............................................................................................ 33 The Treatment Wetland Concept ....................................................................... 39 Biodiversity and Treatment Wetlands ............................................................... 44 Microbes ................................................................................................... 45 Higher Plants ............................................................................................ 46 Protozoans................................................................................................. 49 Mosquitoes................................................................................................ 50 Muskrats ................................................................................................... 52 Aquaculture Species ................................................................................. 55 Coprophagy and Guanotrophy.................................................................. 56 Parallel Evolution of Decay Equations.............................................................. 57 Ecology as the Source of Inspiration in Design ................................................ 60 Algal Turf Scrubbers ................................................................................ 61 Living Machines ....................................................................................... 63 Chapter 3 Soil Bioengineering....................................................................... 69 Introduction........................................................................................................ 69 Strategy of the Chapter ...................................................................................... 72 The Geomorphic Machine ................................................................................. 72 Concepts of Soil Bioengineering ....................................................................... 78 Deep Ecology and Soft Engineering: Exploring the Possible Relationship of Soil Bioengineering to Eastern Religions ............................................ 81 Case Studies....................................................................................................... 87 Urbanization and Stormwater Management ............................................. 87 Agricultural Erosion Control .................................................................... 91 Debris Dams, Beavers, and Alternative Stream Restoration.................... 96 The Role of Beaches and Mangroves in Coastal Erosion Control......... 109 Chapter 4 Microcosmology.......................................................................... 117 Introduction...................................................................................................... 117 Strategy of the Chapter .................................................................................... 120 Microcosms for Developing Ecological Theory.............................................. 121 Microcosms in Ecotoxicology ......................................................................... 125 Design of Microcosms and Mesocosms .......................................................... 132 Physical Scale ......................................................................................... 133 The Energy Signature Approach to Design............................................ 138 Seeding of Biota ..................................................................................... 143 Closed Microcosms................................................................................. 148 Microcosm Replication .................................................................................... 158 Comparisons with Natural Ecosystems............................................................ 162 Chapter 5 Restoration Ecology .................................................................... 167 Introduction...................................................................................................... 167 Strategy of the Chapter .................................................................................... 169 Restoration and Environmentalism .................................................................. 170 How to Restore an Ecosystem ......................................................................... 173 The Energy Signature Approach ............................................................ 174 Biotic Inputs ........................................................................................... 177 Succession as a Tool .............................................................................. 185 Bioremediation........................................................................................ 191 Procedures and Policies ................................................................................... 195 Measuring Success in Restoration.......................................................... 196 Public Policies ........................................................................................ 199 Case Studies..................................................................................................... 200 Saltmarshes ............................................................................................. 200 Artificial Reefs ....................................................................................... 205 Exhibit Ecosystems................................................................................. 209 Chapter 6 Ecological Engineering for Solid Waste Management ............... 215 Introduction...................................................................................................... 215 Strategy of the Chapter .................................................................................... 216 The Sanitary Landfill as an Ecosystem ........................................................... 218 Composting Ecosystems for Organic Solid Wastes ........................................ 221 Industrial Ecology............................................................................................ 230 Economic Concepts and the Paradox of Waste............................................... 232 Chapter 7 Exotic Species and Their Control ............................................... 235 Introduction...................................................................................................... 235 Strategy of the Chapter .................................................................................... 237 Exotics as a Form of Biodiversity ................................................................... 239 Exotics and the New Order ............................................................................. 244 Learning from Exotics ..................................................................................... 249 Control of Exotic Species and Its Implications ............................................... 252 Other Concepts of Control in Ecology and Engineering................................. 256 Appendix 1: List of books published on exotic species used to produce Figure 7.1 .............................................................................................. 271 Chapter 8 Economics and Ecological Engineering...................................... 273 Introduction...................................................................................................... 273 Strategy of the Chapter .................................................................................... 274 Classical Economics Perspectives on Ecological Engineering........................ 275 Problems with Conventional Economics ......................................................... 279 Ecological Economics...................................................................................... 281 Life-Support Valuation of Ecosystem Services...................................... 283 Natural Capital, Sustainability, and Carrying Capacity ......................... 286 Emergy Analysis.............................................................................................. 288 Related Issues .................................................................................................. 291 Financing ................................................................................................ 292 Regulation............................................................................................... 292 Patents..................................................................................................... 293 Ethics ..................................................................................................... 296 Chapter 9 Conclusions ................................................................................. 297 The Emergence of New Ecosystems ............................................................... 297 The Ecological Theater and the Self-Organizational Play .............................. 302 Epistemology and Ecological Engineering ...................................................... 307 Future Directions for Design ........................................................................... 311 Ecological Nanotechnology .................................................................... 312 Terraforming and Global Engineering.................................................... 314 From Biosensors to Ecosensors.............................................................. 314 Technoecosystems .................................................................................. 317 A Universal Pollution Treatment Ecosystem ......................................... 318 Ecological Architecture .......................................................................... 321 Biofiltration and Indoor Environmental Quality .................................... 322 Ecology and Aquacultural Design .......................................................... 323 Biotechnology and Ecological Engineering ........................................... 325 Biocultural Survey for Alternative Designs ........................................... 326 Ecological Engineering Education................................................................... 328 Curricula ................................................................................................. 328 The Ecological Engineering Laboratory of the Future........................... 331 Thomas Edison’s “Invention Factory” ................................................. 331 The New Alchemy Institute.................................................................. 333 The Waterways Experiment Station ..................................................... 335 The Olentangy River Wetland Research Park...................................... 335 References ....................................................................................................... 341 Index................................................................................................................ 437