Summary Comments on Ecosystem Integrity
YAN Nailing， YU Xiaogan

1. 中国浦东干部学院，上海 201204;  2.中国科学院南京地理与湖泊研究所，南京 210008

Abstract

Ecosystem integrity has recently been proposed to facilitate enhanced protection of biological and ecological resources. It is valued as a basis for environment ethnics and public environment policy. In many aspects it has been assumed that to maintain ecosystem integrity or system integrity is the general purpose for ecosystem management. Yet ecosystem integrity is a relatively new concept with multi-aspect definition. Briefly to say, it focuses on the system components from structure point of view, while it prefers the integrity and dynamic characteristics from function point of view. Further more, it focuses on whether human value plays a great role in defining and measuring ecosystem integrity. There are merits and limitations in different definitions of ecosystem integrity, for each acknowledges of different aspects of ecosystem structure and function reflect the subjective perspectives of humans on the value, importance, and role of biological diversity. From the point of self-organization, a system with health and the ability of self-evolution or of long-term adaptation to changing environmental conditions and human uses is of integrity. It is pointed out that ecosystem integrity and ecosystem health are different.The paper also gives explanations on methodology of ecosystem integrity measuring and assessing. It suggests that the indices for measuring ecosystem integrity comprise index of components, index of structure, index of services and index of human disturbances.The concept of ecosystem integrity has been applied in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and searching for proper human-nature relationship. It also makes up the ecological understanding and values of the sustainable development.
Keywords: ecosystem integrity; measurement and assessment; ecosystem management