The kingpins of biodiversity
Much like modern society where people and organisations are the cogwheels that should keep ‘everything’ in motion, nature has a similar approach to ensuring it thrives. This story however isn’t about modern society, it’s about nature’s blueprint for success.
How ecosystems work
The term ecosystem is often used to describe businesses and their entire circle of stakeholders. In nature, an ecosystem is a community of organisms and its environment functioning as an ecological unit. Ecosystems include forests, deserts, tundra’s, prairies, coral reefs, rainforests…the list goes on. Each ecosystem has its own conditions in which it thrives. That is where specific types of plants, animals and soils come in to play. Each animal and plant has a part to fulfil in keeping balance and ensuring nature’s growth.
Let’s take it local
Now, let’s take this conversation a bit closer to home. Utrecht Science Park (USP) is home to a great number of ecosystems. It contains woodlands, fields, ponds, ditches, banks and so on. Keeping these ecosystems healthy with plenty of growth, food and opportunity for carbon storage, requires a healthy ratio of biodiversity. The very best mix of species leads to the most fruitful ecosystem.
Doortje Knobbe, president of the Utrecht Biologists Association, stresses that biodiversity in an area such as Utrecht Science Park requires work:
“It is very important to know that biodiversity in a place like the Utrecht Science Park is not something you can take for granted. It takes careful investigation of the species that (can possibly) live there and see what their needs are. These needs have to be incorporated into the environment of the Utrecht Science Park in order to let the species and their surrounding ecosystems blossom.”
Doortje Knobbe, President Utrecht Biologists Association (UBV)
To strengthen the ecosystems and level of biodiversity in Utrecht Science Park, Utrecht ľϸӰ established a list of species called Icon Species that will be monitored and accommodated, making sure they’re well-presented in Utrecht Science Park.
The Icon Species
Icon Species indicate the health and fruition of the ecosystems they inhabit. Their presence shows not only that this species can survive and thrive in an area, but that many other species are present as well. Also, these species all have unique abilities that contribute to the health of their habitat.
Utrecht ľϸӰ is currently working on a Biodiversity Ambition. This is a document that contains the university’s plans aiming to support local plant and animal life. The plan also provides a list of Icon Species for the USP. As mentioned earlier, Icon Species have a pivotal role in creating healthy ecosystems. Now that these species are on this list, the university needs to make sure these animals can live and thrive in the USP.
The list was put together by Professor in Plant Dispersal & Ecology, Merel Soons and her team.
The Icon Species Exhibit
Key players deserve a stage. This exhibit shows a selection of Icon Species of Utrecht Science Park and explains why the USP needs them and why they need the USP.
View the exhibit
This exhibit is a collaboration between the Utrecht Biologists Association (UBV) and the Green Office.