ABSTRACT
Ecosystem health is an evolving, integrative field that explores the interrelations among human activity, social organization, natural systems, and human health (Rapport et al., 1998). One product of such integration is the development of a holistic approach to ecosystem health assessment and environmental management (Rapport et al., 1998). This collection of five chapters focuses on several key aspects of ecosystem health assessment and environmental management of the Langat Basin, a rapidly developing region in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The principal authors, all of whom are affiliated with the Institute of Environment and Development (LESTARI) of the University of Kebangsaan, Malaysia, present a body of research documenting historical trends and the current status of critical components of the basin’s ecosystem, including land cover and biodiversity, industrial development and economic growth, and water quality, as well as a novel consideration of geohazards. The results of this research provide baseline data essential not only for assessing the current state of the ecosystem, but also for identifying useful indicators of ecosystem health or dysfunction, and for evaluating the efficacy of any preventive, palliative, or restorative interventions.
