2014|Student Guide
ECOSYSTEM HEALTH
This publication was made possible in part through the support provided by the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed herein are
those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USA ID or the US
Government. USAID reserves a royalty-free nonexclusive and irrevocable right to
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
Module: Ecosystem Health
Module Overview
This module fosters an understanding of the basic principles of ecosystem
health in the context of One Health. At the end of the course, students
should have a sufficient understanding of ecosystems dynamics so that they
can work with environmental professionals to analyze how natural and
anthropogenic changes to the environment can affect animal and human
health locally, regionally and nationally.
At the end of the class, the student should know how to look for the
answers, when to call in a professional, and have the vocabulary and
sufficient background knowledge to be able to work with a professional.
There are nine sessions in this module:
Time
Topic
60 Minutes
Introduction to Ecosystem Health
Abiotic Cycles - Overview and Specifics of Water, Carbon and
Nitrogen
60 Minutes
60 Minutes
90-110
Minutes
80 Minutes
Biotic Cycles, Food Webs and Southeast Asian Ecosystems
Ecosystems of Southeast Asia: Values and Services
Factors that Disrupt Ecosystems: Natural and Man-Made
60 minutes
Effect of Disruption of Ecosystems and the Impacts on
Human and Animal Health: Local, Regional and National
Scales
Climate Change, Ecosystems, Human and Animal Health
60 minutes
Gold Mining Simulation
60 minutes
Learner Reflections, Evaluation and Optional Exam
60 minutes
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Module Competencies
Competency #1
Understand fundamental
ecological/ecosystem
principles
Learning Objectives to Develop Competency
Understand basic ecological and ecosystem principles related to human
health by being able to describe:
 Abiotic components of an ecosystem: water, carbon and nitrogen
 Biotic components of an ecosystem such as trophic levels, including
primary and secondary producers, and consumers
Competency #2
Recognize
interrelationships among
ecosystems, animal health,
and human health
Learning Objectives to Develop Competency
Competency #3
Analyze the effects of direct
impacts on the
environment
Learning Objectives to Develop Competency
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Be able to explain how ecosystem health affects animal and human
health:



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
Air quality
Water quality
Soil
Habitat
Biodiversity
Role of undeveloped areas in cultural, spiritual wellbeing
Analyze how anthropogenic and natural changes directly affect
ecosystems and that can affect animal and human health:
 Forest conversion
 Industrial and urban development
 Natural disasters
SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
INTRODUCTION TO ECOSYSTEM HEALTH
Learning Objective:


Describe the basic principles of ecosystems.
Present the scope and objectives of the module.
Pre-Class Assignment

Read “Assessing Ecosystem Health” (Rapport, Constanza and
McMichael)
Reading Assignment
Reading
Assignment
Prior to the class, read the following article and come prepared to discuss it in
class:
 “Assessing Ecosystem Health,” by D.J. Rapport, R. Constanza, and
A.J. McMichael.
Introduction to Ecosystem Health
Lecture
An ecosystems is a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in
conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water
and mineral soil), interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are
regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
Healthy ecosystems are stable and sustainable, maintaining its character in composition,
organization and function over time, and its resilience to stress
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Module: Ecosystem Health
What do you think?
 What are the ecosystems in the area around this university?
 How do you derive benefits from these ecosystems?
 How does your health depend on ecosystems?
Notes:
Homework Assignment
Assigned Ecosystem: Water
Homework
Assignment
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 Carbon
: Nitrogen
Using the Abiotic Cycle PowerPoint presentation as a guide, create a
presentation illustrating the cycle, why the system is important and the effects
on human health if disrupted.
SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
ABIOTIC CYCLES
Overview and Specifics of Water, Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles
Learning Objective:
Describe abiotic cycles of an ecosystem: water, carbon and nitrogen
Water, Carbon and Nitrogen
Small Group
Activity
and
Large Group
Discussion
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
BIOTIC CYCLES, FOOD WEBS AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN
ECOSYSTEMS
Learning Objective:



Explain the concept of biotic cycles and food webs.
Demonstrate how those apply to the major Southeast Asian ecosystems.
Discuss the basic dynamics of mangroves, tropical rainforests and coral
reefs.
Energy Cycles
Lecture
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Food Webs
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
Ecosystems of Southeast Asia
Mangrove
Tropical Forest
Coral Reef
en.wikipedia.org
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Notes:
Homework Assignment
Become an expert on your assigned ecosystem:
 Mangrove
 Tropical Rainforest
 Coral Reef
Homework
Assignment
Learn about the ecosystem including:
 Nutrient cycling
 The food web
 Status in their country (as applicable)
 The threats to the ecosystem
 Services that the ecosystem provides
 What can disrupt the functioning of the ecosystem
 How the ecosystem affects animal and human health
Prepare a creative presentation on a food web for your ecosystem. Note:
There are versions on the Internet, but make sure that they are accurate.
Often they include animals that are not found on the same continent. Make
sure that your food web is accurate for your area and you should be able to
explain the role of each.
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
ECOSYSTEMS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
Values and Services
Learning Objective:


Identify and compare values and services of ecosystems in Southeast Asia.
Appreciate the differences in values and services of each country in
Southeast Asia.
Pre-Class
Assignments:

Skim Assigned Readings
Reading Assignment
Prior to class, review the following documents. You can skim the documents but make
sure you are familiar with the topics and concepts.
Pre-work



Read – Ecosystems and human well-being: health synthesis. World Health
Organization (2005)
Read – The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital, Costanza,
R., d’Arge, R., and de Groot, R. (1997)
Read – Ecosystem functions and services in Sodhi, N.S. and Ehrlich P.R.
Conservation Biology for All.
Mangrove, Tropical Rainforest and Coral Reef Food Webs
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
Ecosystem Services and Values
Lecture
Source: www.unep.org
Ecosystem services include:
 Fresh water
 Food
 Timber, fiber, fuel
 Biological products
 Regulation of infectious disease
 Nutrient and waste
management, processing and
detoxification
 Climate regulation
Ecosystems values include:
 Aesthetic appreciation
 Tourism
 Recreation
 Education
 Motivation
 Genetic resources
 Culture and spirituality
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Small Group
Activity
Using the following articles as references, identify at least five ecosystem services
provided by each of the following ecosystems—Mangroves, Tropical Rainforests, Coral
Reefs—in Southeast Asia.
Resources
 Chapter 2: Services Provided by Forests. In Ecotourism and Other Services
Derived From Forests in the Asia-Pacific Region: Outlook to 2010, Lindberg.
K.
 Economic Values of Coral Reefs, Mangroves, and Seagrasses: A Global
Compilation, 2008. Conservation International, The Ocean Foundation. ICRI
and NOAA.
 Ecosystem service values for mangroves in Southeast Asia: A meta-analysis and
value transfer application. Ecosystem Services. Brander, L., Wagtendon, A.,
Hussain, S.
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
FACTORS THAT DISRUPT ECOSYSTEMS
Natural and Man-Made
Learning Objective:


List common factors (both natural and man-made) that disrupt ecosystems.
Identify impacts of those factors to human and animal health.
Pre-Class
Assignment


Readings – Self-selection from list below
Optional Assignment – Movie
Homework
Using the references below, identify factors that disrupt each type of Southeast Asia
ecosystem.
Homework
Mangroves:
 The Present State of Mangrove Ecosystems in Southeast Asia (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations)
Tropical Rainforests:
 The Forests of Southeast Asia (United Nations Environmental Program)
 Southeast Asian Biodiversity in Crisis (Associate Professor Navjot Sodhi, National
University of Singapore)
Coral Reefs:
 Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia (Burke, L.E., and M. Spalding)
 Ecosystems: Coral Reefs (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Factors that can Disrupt Ecosystems
Factors that directly disrupt
ecosystems:
Lecture
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

Changes in local land use and cover
Changes in climate
Species introduction or removal
Fishing
Nutrient loading from activities such
as fertilizer, pest control, irrigation
Modification of rivers
Water withdrawal
Pollution
Factors that indirectly disrupt
ecosystems:





Population growth
Economic (e.g., globalization, trade,
market and policy framework)
Sociopolitical (e.g., governance,
institutional and legal framework)
Science and technology
Cultural and religious (e.g., beliefs,
consumption)
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Two examples of impacts on public health:
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Factors Disrupting My Ecosystem
Small Group
Challenge
For your ecosystem, develop a list of the factors that are disrupting the system.
Prepare a comprehensive list for the challenge.
List:
What do you think?




What is the current status of the ecosystem in your province or country in Southeast Asia?
Discuss the historical changes that have occurred.
What functions does your ecosystem serve that affect animal and human health?
What are the factors disrupting your ecosystem? What functions are being disrupted and how
do they affect health locally, regionally, nationally?
What actions should be taken to address the health consequences of ecosystem change?
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
EFFECT OF DISRUPTION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND THE
IMPACT ON HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH
Local, Regional and National Scales
Learning Objective:


Pre-Class
Assignment

Explore impacts of ecosystem disruption on human and animal
health.
Explain what can happen as a result of ecosystem disruptions on
local, regional and national scales.
Prepare Group Ecosystem Presentations
Homework Assignment
Pre-work
For your ecosystem—Mangrove, Tropical Rainforest, or Coral Reef—use your
creativity to create a presentation answering the following questions. Ensure that
your responses address the challenge at the local, the regional and the national
scales.
 What is the current status of your ecosystem in a province, region,
country, and in Southeast Asia? Discuss the historical changes that have
occurred.
 What function(s) does your ecosystem serve that affects animal and
human health?
 What are the factors disrupting your ecosystem? What functions are
being disrupted and how do they affect health locally, regionally,
nationally?
 What actions should be taken to address the health consequences of
ecosystem change?
 Is there hope? What can be done?
Presentations
Group
Presentations
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
CLIMATE CHANGE, ECOSYSTEMS, HUMAN AND
ANIMAL HEALTH
Learning
Objective:

Pre-Class
Assignment:


Be able to analyze regional climate changes and their resulting effects on
ecosystem health.
Be able to analyze the resulting effects of climate changes on human and
animal health.
Read an assignment identified by your facilitator.
Reading Assignments
Reading
Assignments
You professor will assign you one of the following papers on the impacts of
climate change. Read the paper prior to class and come prepared to discuss it:
 “Climate Change Impacts on Streamflow and Subbasin-Scale Hydrology
in the Upper Colorado River Basin” (Ficklin, D.L., I.T. Stewart, and E.P.
Maurer)
 “Cumulative Impacts of Human Interventions and Climate Change on
Mangrove Ecosystems of South and Southeast Asia: An Overview”
(DasGupta, R. and R. Shaw)
 “Climate Change and Agricultural Development: Adapting Polish
Agriculture to Reduce Future Nutrient Loads in a Coastal Watershed”
(Piniewski, M. et al.)
 “Climate Change and Ecosystems” (United States Environmental
Protection Agency)
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Climate and One Health
Lecture
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
Notes:
Climate Changes and Animal Health
What do you think?


How does climate change affect animal health?
What adaptation strategies are applicable here?
Notes:
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Module: Ecosystem Health
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
GOLD MINING SIMULATION
Learning Objective:
Analyze gold mining with respect to ecosystem changes and the potential
cascading effects to animals and human health.
The Atangua Gold Mind Scenario
Atangua is a small island nation that is located 20 miles offshore. It is known for its natural beauty
because it is covered with rainforests and encircled by mangroves. It has several indigenous groups
that subsist on forest and sea products. There are two urban centers that are growing. Industries on
the island include tourism, fisheries, flower production, mango production, and guano mining for
fertilizer production.
The island suffered during the recent recession because many banks on the island went bankrupt,
thus, the island has reverted to traditional sources of revenue and is looking for some new ones.
Currently, the largest source of income is ecotourism, because the rainforest in the heart of the
island has rare orchids and is the home of laughing monkeys. These monkeys will approach people
from a distance and laugh and point fingers at them.
A mining company has approached the governor with a proposal to establish a gold mine in the
center of the island. Gold has been found in the rainforest and a large mining company wants to
build a road to the interior of the island and create the 1,000-acre mine. To create the gold mine,
1,000 acres of the rainforest will have to be cut down, a 50-mile-long road to the port will have to be
built and the existing port will have to modified so it is large enough to accommodate deep draft
vessels. This means that the port will have to be expanded into the existing mangrove forest. The
mine will discharge its wastewater into the local stream which flows into the local mangrove forest.
The mining company also wants to establish accommodations for the 10,000 men needed to build
the facility. Half of them will have to be accommodated on the coast and half in the forest.
The governor wants to know about the potential impacts to each ecosystem and has asked a One
Health Team to respond to the following questions:





What types of things will happen to the ecosystems?
Which abiotic cycles will be affected?
Will the food webs be affected?
What will be the effects to animal health?
What will be the effects to human health?
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Module: Ecosystem Health
What do you think?





What will happen at the mine site?
What will happen as a result of road construction and the presence of a road?
What could happen at the port site?
What will happen in the community?
What will happen in the area?
Notes:
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SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
LEARNING REFLECTIONS AND EVALUATION
LECTO
Learning Objective:


Reflect on your learning in the Ecosystem Health Module.
Provide feedback on what the strengths of the module were and areas of the module that could be
improved.
Evaluate/
Create
How would you rate your level of the following
Ecosystem Health Module Core Competencies:
Apply
Individual
Learning
Assessment
Understand
Self-Evaluation
Understand fundamental ecological/ecosystem principles.
Recognize interrelationships among ecosystems, animal health
and human health.
Analyze the effects of direct impacts on the environment.
Write down two or three things you learned from the session. Think about:
 What was new or surprising to you?
 What have you changed your mind about?
 What you are still unsure about?
 What was interesting to you/what would you like to study in more details?
 Are there new behaviors that you will try based on this class?
 What topics from the class will you share with others outside the class?
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Notes:
Sharing the Learning
Small Group
Discussion
Notes:
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In a small group, share:
 Your key learnings from the module.
 How you will apply the concepts, knowledge, skills you gained from the
module.
SEAOHUN One Health Course – Student Guide
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
Included in Resource Folder
Brander, L.M., Wagtendonk, A.J., Hussain, S. S., et al. (2012). Ecosystem service values for mangroves in
Southeast Asia: A meta-analysis and value transfer application. Ecosystem Services. 1:1 (62-69).
Retrieved on December 1, 2013, from
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041612000046.
Burke, L., Selig, E., and Spalding, M. (2002) Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia. Retrieved on December 1,
2013, from http://pdf.wri.org/rrseasia_full.pdf.
Conservation International, The Ocean Foundation, International Centre for Development Oriented
Research in Agriculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and World Research
Institute. (2008). Economic Values of Coral Reefs, Mangroves and Seagrasses: A Global
Compilation. Retrieved on December 13, 2013, from
http://www.coastalvalues.org/work/coralvalues.pdf.
Corvalan, C., et al. (2005) Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Health Synthesis. World Health
Organization. Retrieved on December 1, 2013. from
http://www.who.int/globalchange/ecosystems/ecosys.pdf.
Costanza, R., D’Arge, R., and de Groot, R. (1997) The value of the world’s ecosystem services and
natural capital. Nature 387 (253-259). Retrieved on December 1, 2013, from
http://www.esd.ornl.gov/benefits_conference/nature_paper.pdf.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (1980). The Present State of
Mangrove Ecosystems in Southeast Asia. Retrieved from
http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab751e/AB751E00.htm
Global Canopy Programme. (2007) Ecosystem Services of Southeast Asia: Major Threats and
Opportunities. Retrieved on December 1, 2013, from
http://www.globalcanopy.org/sites/default/files/Alex%20Morel%20report%20PDF%20.pdf.
Lindberg, K., Furze, B., Staff, M. and Black, R. (1997). Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study:
Ecotourism and other Services Derived from Forests in the Asia-Pacific Region: Outlook to 2010.
Retrieved on December 13, 2013, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7714e/w7714e00.HTM.
McMichael, A.J., Campbell-Lendrum, D.H., Corvelan, C.F., et al. (2003). Climate Change and Human
Health: Risks and Responses. Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieved on December 1, 2013,
from http://www.who.int/globalchange/publications/climchange.pdf.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (n.d) Ecosystems: Coral Reef. Retrieved
on December1, 2013, from http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/about/ecosystems/coralwelcome.html.
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Module: Ecosystem Health
Sekercioglu, C. H. (2010) Chapter 3: Ecosystem Functions and Services. In Sodhi, N.S. and Ehrlich, P.R.
Conservation Biology for All. London: Oxford University Press. Retrieved on December 1, 2013,
from http://www.conbio.org/images/content_publications/Chapter3.pdf.
Stacey, N., Boggs, G., Campbell, B. and Steffen, W. Prepare for Impact!: When People and Environment
Collide in the Tropics. Retrieved on December 1, 2013, from
http://cdupress.cdu.edu.au/books/documents/Contents.pdf.
United Nations Environment Program. (n.d) The Forests of Southeast Asia. Retrieved on December 1,
2013, from http://www.unep.org/vitalforest/Report/VFG-15-The-forests-of-southeast-asia.pdf.
World Health Organization (WHO), Europe. (2003). Methods for assessing human health vulnerability
and public health adaptation to climate change. Retrieved on December 1, 2013, from
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/91098/E81923.pdf.
Additional Resources
Bose- O’Reilly,S., Drasch, G., Beinhoff, C., et al. (2010) Health assessment of artisanal gold miners in
Indonesia. Science Total Environment. 408(4):713-25. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.10.070.
Bose- O’Reilly,S., Drasch, G., Beinhoff, C., et al. (2010) Health assessment of artisanal gold miners in
Tanzania. Science Total Environment. 408(4):796-805. Doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.10.051.
Haines, A., Kovats, R.S., Campbell-Lendrum, D.H., et al. (2006). Climate change and human health:
impacts, vulnerability and mitigation. The Lancet. 367:9528 (2101-2109).
Krisnayanti B.D., Anderson C.W., Utomo W.H., et al. (2002) Assessment of environmental mercury
discharge at a four-year-old artisanal gold mining area on Lombok Island, Indonesia. Journal of
Environmental Monitoring. 14(10)2598-607.
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