Other aspects related to Campus Naturaleza UdeC

What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is an ecological system composed by living organisms, such as plants, animals, and microbes (biotic), that interact with each other and with their physical environment, such as climate, soil, and water (abiotic).

What is biodiversity?

According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), biodiversity or biological diversity is the variability of living organisms, including diversity within and between species, and terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems.

What is ecological restoration?

Ecological restoration is a nature-based solution that plays a key role in recovering the multiple benefits that nature provides to humans, ensuring a better future for humanity.
It is defined as the deliberate process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. This is an intentional process and seeks to guide an ecosystem onto its recovery trajectory.

What is a forest plantation?

The term forest plantations refers to those forests that have originated through by the human action of planting trees of the same species or combinations with others.

Currently, forest plantations cover an approximate area of 3.11 million hectares, equivalent to 17.27% of the total forests in Chile, according to data from CONAF updated at July 2021.

What is meant by the degradation and fragmentation of native ecosystems?

In Chile, the main factor of loss, degradation, and fragmentation of native ecosystems is the land change use associated with the productivity development in the forestry, agricultural, mining, and aquaculture sectors. In 1986, the native forests of the Coastal Range represented the main cover of the coastal landscape between the regions of Valparaíso and Los Lagos.

After 25 years, native forests only covered 15% of the landscape, while exotic species forest plantations became the dominant coverage of the coast.

What are invasive exotic species?

They are naturalized species with the ability to reproduce in large quantities and have the potential to spread over an area, invading natural habitats.

The main effects of these species are the displacement of native species and alterations in native ecosystems.

What are anthropogenic disturbances?

They are disturbances caused by the direct action of human activities such as fires, grazing, wood or firewood extraction.

Images owned by the Campus Naturaleza project, University of Concepción
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