Ecological Engineering

Ecotechnology…
 What is?
• Mitsch and Jorgensen[3] wrote that ecological
engineering is designing societal services such
that they benefit society and nature, and later
noted[4][5] the design should be systems based,
sustainable, and integrate society with its
natural environment. Odum[6] emphasized
that self-organizational properties were a
central feature to ecological engineering.
 Simply,
the design of sustainable ecosystems that
integrate human society with its natural
environment for the benefit of both
 History of…
• Mitsch and Jørgensen[3] were the first to define ecological
engineering and provide ecological engineering principles.
Later they refined the definition and increased the number
of principles.[7] They defined and characterized ecological
engineering in a 1989 book and clarified it further in their
2004 book (see Literature).
• They suggest the goal of ecological engineering is:
a) the restoration of ecosystems that have been substantially
disturbed by human activities such as environmental
pollution or land disturbance, and
b) the development of new sustainable ecosystems that
have both human and ecological values.
 Five concepts key to
ecological engineering:
• it is based on the self-designing capacity of
ecosystems,
• it can be a field test (acid test) of ecological
theory,
• it relies on integrated system approaches,
• it conserves non-renewable energy, and
• it supports biological conservation and
ecosystem restoration.
 Bergen et al.[8] defined ecological
engineering as:
• utilizing ecological science and theory,
• applying to all types of ecosystems,
• adapting engineering design methods, and
• acknowledging a guiding value system.
 Barrett (1999) [9] offers a more literal
definition of the term:
• "the design, construction, operation and management
(that is, engineering) of landscape/aquatic structures
and associated plant and animal communities (that is,
ecosystems) to benefit humanity and, often, nature."
• "other terms with equivalent or similar meanings
include ecotechnology and two terms most often used
in the erosion control field: soil bioengineering and
biotechnical engineering.
• However, ecoengineering should not be confused with
'biotechnology' when describing genetic engineering at
the cellular level, or 'bioengineering' meaning
construction of artificial body parts."
 Ecological Restoration
the return of an ecosystem to a close
approximation of its condition prior to
disturbance

the process of assisting the recovery of an

ecosystem that has been degraded,
damaged, or destroyed.
Basic of Restoration
 References
1. W.J. Mitsch & S.E. Jorgensen (1989), "Introduction to Ecological Engineering", In:
W.J. Mitsch and S.E. Jorgensen (Editors), Ecological Engineering: An Introduction to
Ecotechnology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, pp. 3-12.
2. H.T. Odum et al. (1963), Experiments with Engineering of Marine Ecosystems, in:
Publication of the Institute of Marine Science of the University of Texas, 9: 374-403.
3. W.J. Mitsch and S.E. Jorgensen (1989), "Introduction to Ecological Engineering" In:
W.J. Mitsch and S.E. Jorgensen (Editors), Ecological Engineering: An Introduction to
Ecotechnology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, pp. 3-12.
4. W.J. Mitsch (1993), "Ecological Engineering - A Cooperative Role with the Planetary
Life Support Systems" in: Environmental Science & Technology, 27: 438-45.
5. W.J. Mitsch (1996), "Ecological Engineering: a new paradigm for engineers and
ecologists", In: P.C. Schulze (Editor), Engineering Within Ecological Constraints.
National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 114-132.
6. H.T. Odum (1989), "Ecological Engineering and Self-Organization" In: W.J. Mitsch
and S.E. Jørgensen (Editors), Ecological Engineering: An Introduction to
Ecotechnology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, pp. 79-101.
7. W.J. Mitsch & S.E. Jørgensen (2003), "Ecological engineering: A field whose time
has come", in: Ecological Engineering, 20(5): 363-377.
8. S.D. Bergen et al. (2001), "Design Principles for Ecological Engineering", in:
Ecological Engineering, 18: 201-210.
9. Barrett, K. R. 1999. Ecological engineering in water resources: The benefits of
collaborating with nature. Water International, Journal of the International Water
Resources Association. v 24, p182-188.