ABSTRACT

The ecosystem services provided by large, complex freshwater systems have long been subjected to various stresses by humans; drinking water, transport, manufacturing, and even recreation have been impaired in different ways. How can these systems be managed to protect their health and services for present and future generations? We discuss the jurisdiction, stressors, and examples of preventative management, as well as future needs, for 2 iconic North American freshwater systems: (1) the Laurentian Great Lakes, an international system of lakes and waterways that comprise ∼21% of the world’s surface fresh water; and (2) the Florida Everglades, an ecosystem consisting of lakes, rivers, freshwater wetlands, estuaries, and marine bays, located in south Florida, and which have been heavily modified. Billions of dollars are being invested in restoration projects in both ecosystems. Despite differences in size, governance structure, and impairments, the overriding needs associated with large-scale ecosystem protection and restoration result in similar recommendations for the preventative management of these 2 systems: a robust monitoring network; early warning and detection systems; and effective enforcement of regulations.

摘要

大型复杂淡水系统所提供的生态系统服务长期以来一直受到人类各种压力的影响；饮用水、交通、制造业，甚至娱乐都以不同的方式受到损害。如何管理这些系统以保护他们的健康和为当代和后代提供的服务？我们讨论了两个标志性北美淡水系统的管辖权、压力源和预防性管理示例以及未来需求：(1) 劳伦森大湖，一个由湖泊和水道组成的国际系统，占全球约 21%地表淡水；(2) 佛罗里达大沼泽地，这是一个由湖泊、河流、淡水湿地、河口和海洋海湾组成的生态系统，位于佛罗里达州南部，并已被严重改造。数十亿美元正在投资于这两个生态系统的恢复项目。尽管在规模、治理结构和损害方面存在差异，但与大规模生态系统保护和恢复相关的首要需求导致对这两个系统的预防性管理提出了类似的建议：强大的监测网络；预警和检测系统；和有效执行法规。