Regional Physical Planning Program for Transmigration, ROI
RI
Republic of Indonesia (also ROI)
RMAP
Resource Management in Asia-Pacific
RNH
Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden, The Nether- lands; formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie
ROI
Republic of Indonesia (also RI)
RSA
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Herbarium, Claremont, California, USA (Herbarium)
SEC
south equatorial current
SK
decree (Surat Keputusan)
SKSHH
certificate that logs were legally obtained (Surat Keterangan Sahnya Hasil Hutan)
SPP
investigation warrant (Surat Perintah Penyidikan), also known as SP2 or SPRINT
SPPP
letter of termination of investigation (Surat Perintah Penghen- tian Penyidikan), also known as SP3
SSC
IUCN Species Survival Commission
SST
sea surface temperature
TAC
total allowable catch
TL
thermo-luminescence (archeological dating technique)
TMDU
Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TNC
The Nature Conservancy
TNI
Indonesian National Army (Tentara Nasional Indonesia)
TNS
National Science Museum, Tsukuba, Japan (Herbarium)
TNWP
Tri-National Wetlands Program
Trikora
People's Threefold Command (Tri Komando Rakyat)
UC
University of California Herbarium, Berkeley, California, USA (Herbarium)
UNCEN
Cenderawasih University (Universitas Cenderawasih), Jaya- pura, Papua, Indonesia
UNDP
United Nations Development Program
UNEP
United Nations Environmental Program
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza- tion
UNFCCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UNIPA
State University of Papua (Universitas Negeri Papua), Ma- nokwari, Papua, Indonesia
UniTech
University of Technology, Lae, Morobe Province, PNG
UNTEA
United Nations Temporary Executive Authority
UPNG
University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, PNG (Her- barium)
UPT
Technical Implementation Units, Indonesia (Unit Pelaksana Teknis)
USNM
United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., USA
UU
law (Undang-Undang)
WALHI
Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia)
WCMC
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP)
WCS
Wildlife Conservation Society
WEI
Wau Ecology Institute, Wau, Morobe Province, PNG; formerly Bishop Museum Field Station
WHO
World Health Organization
WMA
Wildlife Management Areas, PNG
WPWP
Western Pacific Warm Pool
WRI
World Resources Institute
WRSL
Wroclaw University, Wroclaw, Poland (Herbarium)
WSPCW
Western South Pacific Central Water
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature; World Wildlife Fund in USA
YALI
The Papua Environment Foundation (Yayasan Lingkungan Hidup Papua)
YPMD
Irian Jaya Rural Community Development Foundation (Yaya- san Pengembangan Masyarakat Desa)
SECTION FIVE
Natural Ecosystems
5.1. The Diversity and Conservation of Papua’s Ecosystems
ANDREW J. MARSHALL
THE TERM ‘‘ECOSYSTEM’’ refers to a biological community and its physical environment. Sir Arthur Tansley, an English botanist who was a pioneer in the study of plant ecology, coined the term in 1935 in recognition of the fact that a true understanding of ecological processes requires consideration of organisms and their habitats as a single, integrated system (Tansley 1935). Some ecologists extended this view and argued that the ecosystem should be considered the basic unit of ecological investigation (e.g., Evans 1956; Rowe 1961). Although modern ecology incorporates research on a variety of scales, from populations of single species, through landscapes and ecoregions, to the entire biosphere, the consideration of ecosystems as functional units has produced important insights into a range of important ecological processes, such as primary production, energy flow, and nutrient cycling. In this section we take a broad, ecosystem-level view of the Papuan environment. This level of analysis allows us to consider issues of biodiversity, conservation, and human well-being from a broader perspective than is possible when these issues are examined at smaller spatial scales. In this introductory chapter I comment briefly on some general concepts related to ecosystem classification, diversity, services, and conservation, and consider how these concepts can be applied to the management and preservation of Papua’s ecosystems. In the following twelve chapters, experts provide overviews of the ecology, organization, and conservation of Papua’s most important ecosystem types.
First, a comment on terminology. In ecology, as in many other scientific disciplines, terminology is both a blessing and a burden. When clearly defined and applied, specific terms unambiguously convey meaning and permit relevant debate. Unfortunately, ecological terms are frequently used in contexts other than those in which they were originally applied, without appropriate definition or clarification. Such misuses of terminology obscure meaning and can result in vigorous debates that create much heat while shedding little light
