Island ecosystems face numerous drivers and pressures that affect their functioning and sustainability. These include habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, water pollution, erosion, climate change, alien species, and socio-cultural changes. Moreover, they are vulnerable to a number of natural phenomena and diseases. These problems make it imperative to protect island ecosystems, and these problems are compounded by human activities.
Invasive species
Invasive species are a major problem in island ecosystems. These animals cause harm to native species and disrupt their habitats. Examples of invasive species are nutria, large rodents native to South America. In the early 1900s, ranchers brought them to North America for their fur, but when they proved unsuccessful, they were released into the wild. Now, they are a major pest in the Gulf Coast and Chesapeake Bay, eating the tall grasses and rushes that provide food for native species.
Invasive species are not only harmful to the ecosystem, but also pose a threat to island inhabitants, livestock, and pets. This makes their eradication a controversial process, and communities may resist the eradication process. However, management of these species is crucial for island ecosystems and biodiversity restoration. It can also improve the livelihood of island inhabitants.
Invasive mammals have significantly altered island ecosystems around the world. While many of these mammals are invasive, some of them are adapted to their new environments. Some species, such as European starlings, are major agricultural pests. Others, such as brushtail possums, are sources of tuberculosis.
While control of biological invasions is paramount, studying the effects of invasive species is also beneficial. It allows researchers to better understand the effects of invasive species and their native communities. Furthermore, the relative simplicity of the biota on islands helps researchers evaluate the impacts more effectively. Ultimately, this knowledge will help the development of basic ecological theories.
Limited opportunities for autonomous adaptation
The plight of small island ecosystems has spurred public declarations that they are at risk from climate change, urging them to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Increased investments in renewable energy can help to promote energy independence and create a multiplier effect. However, this must be accompanied by more urgent efforts to mitigate the negative consequences of CC.
One way to address this problem is to enhance local knowledge of ecosystem and social processes that affect the vulnerability and resilience of communities. For example, Indigenous knowledge can be used to adapt pastoral and agricultural practices and to create flood protection infrastructure. Similarly, communities can use biocultural knowledge to determine more reliable water sources and increase agricultural productivity.
It is difficult to apply this framework across species, but it could serve as a useful tool for conservationists and those seeking to increase species’ resilience to climate change. For now, we need more evidence to evaluate whether and how individuals have adaptive capabilities. If they show adaptive capability, they should be given more resources and opportunities.
Another barrier to autonomous adaptation is bureaucratic processes that hinder action. Currently, these processes tend to favor state-level adaptation and prioritise governmental actors.
Lack of baseline data
One of the biggest challenges facing scientists today is a lack of data for assessing how well island ecosystems are functioning. Island ecosystems differ considerably in area, climate, and latitude, with more than two-thirds of them being located in the tropics. One example of an island ecosystem that is not well-characterized is Greenland, which consists of several islands connected by an ice cap.
While islands make up only 6.7% of the planet’s land surface, they account for 20% of its total biodiversity. As the cradles of evolutionary diversity and museums of once-widespread lineages, islands are particularly valuable places for conservation. Most of the species on islands are endemic, but most of these are threatened by human colonization.
Lack of baseline data on island ecosystems limits the ability of conservation scientists to make informed decisions and set realistic conservation targets. In many cases, limited or incomplete data are used in conservation efforts, leading to inconsistent and even conflicting estimates. Moreover, in many cases, the time period of observations is too short for conservation efforts to make significant inroads, as the extent of changes is still unknown.
The study of island ecosystems is important because it allows us to better understand the diversity of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. While island ecosystems may have been extinct in some continents, they may still be part of the insular biota today. In addition, islands are characterized by milder climates than continents, and the topography of islands allows species to track the climate conditions that are appropriate for survival.
Impacts of infrastructure development on small islands
Small islands face unique challenges when it comes to infrastructure development. In order to overcome these challenges, coordinated action must be developed at multiple levels. A stakeholder-driven framework is developed to evaluate the current state of infrastructure and identify strategic options to improve performance. These options are grouped into policy portfolios and evaluated against development outcomes and emission targets. The results highlight the feasibility of meeting Saint Lucia’s ambitious 2030 development goals.
A critical aspect of infrastructure development for small islands is the availability of adequate infrastructure and adequate services. Because these areas are remote and vulnerable to environmental risks, ensuring that the infrastructure is suited to their unique needs is critical. Furthermore, many small island countries are heavily reliant on tourism and need to design infrastructure systems that can handle a high number of visitors. Therefore, infrastructure modeling must take these specific challenges into account.
The impact of infrastructure development is also exacerbated by natural disasters, which are particularly damaging to these countries. Hurricanes and cyclones cause widespread damage, and the economic impact of these natural disasters can be devastating. These storms can destroy houses, health facilities, and infrastructure, and can cost billions of dollars in rebuilding.
Small islands with an area of less than 2000 km2 are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise. These islands also lack access to important resources. Infrastructure is essential for socio-economic activities and regional development, but not all small islands can afford to build it. One such island is Ndao Island in Indonesia’s Eastern region. This island has been developing since 2011 and may see further development in the future.
Seabirds as champion species
Seabirds play a critical role in island ecosystems, transporting nutrients from the surrounding marine ecosystems to the island’s flora and fauna. Yet, island seabird populations are suffering due to human activities. Deforestation, invasive species, and other factors are threatening their distribution and declining their populations.
The effects of shipping and other human activities on seabirds are poorly documented, and the magnitude of these impacts is not known. In particular, monitoring and evaluating the effects of shipping and other human activities on sea birds is difficult, given the small size and dark plumage of these birds. Future studies should incorporate systematic monitoring of seabird strandings to assess the impacts and determine the vulnerability of breeding adults and fledglings to these effects.
The conservation of seabirds on Kaua’i has been undertaken through the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. This organization has been restoring vegetation and native species on the island, including seabirds. They have also been working on the development of educational materials to help people understand the importance of these birds. The group is also involved in Basic Environmental Education, where they conduct lectures, film showings for kids, and workshops with local government officials.
Seabirds can play a key role in conservation efforts by assessing the health of the ecosystems. They are good indicators of ecosystem health because they travel across space, time, and trophic levels. Furthermore, their study is relatively easy compared to other marine species. Therefore, it is important to include seabirds in the design of ecosystem-based fisheries management plans.
Impacts of dams and droughts on small islands
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are disproportionately vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change, particularly droughts and diminished freshwater resources. In 2016, over seventy percent of SIDS were at risk of water shortage, with this figure rising to ninety percent among the most vulnerable SIDS. To address this growing problem, UNESCO convened a high-level meeting on SIDS challenges during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Dams are a major driver of hydroclimatic variability and change. While dams are not always responsible for droughts, they can be a significant factor in regional climate variability. In some regions, a large-scale rainfall event may trigger a dam failure, which may lead to widespread flooding. Prolonged dry spells may also alter water table levels and affect the structural safety of dams.
During the last century, dams have been an essential part of human strategy to manage water resources. However, the future of water is uncertain, with increased frequency and intensity of disasters causing a host of other problems. For example, the IPCC has projected that by 2050, 52% of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas. Because SIDS have scarce groundwater resources, droughts and other drought risks are particularly devastating for their socio-economic stability.
Similarly, climate variability is another key factor. Many existing dams were constructed using short instrumental records, but long-term climate records are necessary for assessing the risks of dams and droughts. The use of paleoclimate records and future climate modeling are essential to understanding the availability of fresh water and managing the consequences. Moreover, future climate models need more long-term variability observations and constrained projections of climate change.
