Ecological engineering — contrasting experiences in China with the West

Abstract Ecological engineering is a concept which has been used informally in China for centuries and formally for the past 25 years. A definition of ecological engineering in China is “…a specially designed system of production process in which the principles of the species symbiosis and the cycling and regeneration of subtances in an ecological system are applied…” Specific case studies in China are described for agro-ecological engineering (over 2000 sites in China), integrated fish ponds, water pollution control, salt marsh restoration, and wetland management. Differences between Western and Chinese systems relate to design principles, objectives, human manipulation of ecosystem structure, and recognized values and economics.