scholarly journals Scientists' Warning on the Conservation of Subterranean Ecosystems

BioScience ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 641-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Mammola ◽  
Pedro Cardoso ◽  
David C Culver ◽  
Louis Deharveng ◽  
Rodrigo L Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Natural Heritage ◽  
Human Population Growth ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
The Web

Abstract In light of recent alarming trends in human population growth, climate change, and other environmental modifications, a “Warning to humanity” manifesto was published in BioScience in 2017. This call reiterated most of the ideas originally expressed by the Union of Concerned Scientists in 1992, including the fear that we are “pushing Earth's ecosystems beyond their capacities to support the web of life.” As subterranean biologists, we take this opportunity to emphasize the global importance and the conservation challenges associated with subterranean ecosystems. They likely represent the most widespread nonmarine environments on Earth, but specialized subterranean organisms remain among the least documented and studied. Largely overlooked in conservation policies, subterranean habitats play a critical role in the function of the web of life and provide important ecosystem services. We highlight the main threats to subterranean ecosystems and propose a set of effective actions to protect this globally important natural heritage.

A new hydrology: effects on ecosystem form and functioning

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1377-1379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Roelke ◽  
Sofie Spatharis ◽  
Simon M. Mitrovic
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Harmful Algal Blooms ◽  
Algal Blooms ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
System Level ◽  
Hydrologic Processes ◽  
Human Population Growth ◽  
Altered Hydrology

Water cycles are changing because of human population growth and climate change. Such changes will affect fundamental system-level characteristics that in turn will greatly influence ecosystem form and functioning. Here, a collection of papers is offered that furthers our understanding of cause and effect relationships between altered hydrology and various ecosystem properties. Combined, these papers address issues related to inflows, connectivity, and circulation and vertical mixing. In regards to altered inflows, this collection of papers addresses how seagrass bed communities, incidence of some haptophyte harmful algal blooms, and biodiversity of intermittently flowing streams might respond. These papers also address factors that influence connectivity in wetlands, and in the case of a lake and its neighboring wetland, how connectivity between systems can profoundly affect ecosystem form and functioning. Finally, the effects of altered circulation and vertical mixing are addressed as they relate to the spread of some cyanobacteria blooms to higher latitudes. The reader of this collection of papers gains a better appreciation of how ecosystem form and functioning is influenced by hydrologic processes and can conclude that there is a need for continued research in this area to better understand the impacts of human population growth and climate change.

scholarly journals Epidemic Malaria Dynamics in Eastern Africa Highlands: The Role of Climate Change and Human Population Growth

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Felipe Augusto Maurin Krsulovic ◽  
Timothy Peter Moulton ◽  
Mauricio Lima ◽  
Fabian Jacksic
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Eastern Africa ◽  
Human Population Growth

Earth Stewardship

2020 ◽  
pp. 164-178
Author(s):  
F Stuart Chapin
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Pursuit Of Happiness ◽  
Human Population Growth ◽  
The Us ◽  
Earth Stewardship ◽  
Atmospheric Concentrations

This chapter addresses the interactions of individuals with government, business, and other institutions to build upon and support individual efforts. It emphasizes sustainable outcomes at regionally and globally significant scales. Global changes that threaten Earth’s ecosystems and society could be reversed through progress toward four key stewardship goals: reducing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, increasing the extent of forests and wetlands, sustaining ecosystem services, and reducing human population growth and unnecessary consumption. The US Declaration of Independence radically included “pursuit of happiness” as an inalienable right of all people. Since happiness is generally unrelated to consumption or wealth, society’s happiness and well-being can often be enhanced without increasing consumption. The chapter outlines five potential strategies by which government can complement the efforts of individuals to foster happiness. If people decide, individually and collectively, that the planet’s future habitability is important, they will know how to ensure a better life for their grandchildren.

A Review of Solutions and Challenges to Addressing Human Population Growth and Global Climate Change

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-172
Author(s):  
Rafael Bergstrom ◽  
Randi Caddell ◽  
Mark W. Chynoweth ◽  
Lisa M. Ellsworth ◽  
Sarah Henly-Shepard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Human Population Growth

Rebalancing Our Climate

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eelco J. Rohling
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Human Population ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Sustainable Behavior ◽  
Decisive Action ◽  
Incoming Energy

Over recent decades, a wide variety of studies and assessment reports has portrayed a stark picture of humanity’s detrimental impacts on our planet’s life and environmental health. Climate change is at the heart of many of these impacts. This cannot be allowed to continue, given the relentless human population growth and ever-expanding energy and resource consumption. We have but one planet, and its ecosystem services are essential to our survival. As Rebalancing Our Climate reports, the doomsday scenario can still be averted; humanity stands at a crossroads where it must take the route of sustainable behavior. Decisive action can still make a significant difference to climate change. This is humanity’s greatest challenge. To have any chance of success, however, the time to act can be delayed no longer. Instead, it is right now: today is the future. This book documents a wealth of ways to adjust the trajectory of climate change. It outlines measures to drive massive reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and to reflect part of the incoming energy from the Sun. For all measures, the book evaluates both advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it discusses the need to protect ourselves from impacts that have become inevitable already and looks at how society may be driven to get the job done. In short, this book provides powerful facts and arguments to support informed choices.

Climate and other global factors at the zoonotic interface in America: influence on diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens.

2021 ◽  
pp. 318-325
Author(s):  
Ulrike Munderloh ◽  
Timothy Kurtti
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Change ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Expert Opinion ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Human Population Growth ◽  
Animal Hosts

Abstract This expert opinion discusses evidence for global change (including rapid human population growth) and climate change impacts on the distribution and abundance of ticks on human and animal hosts as well as the prevalence and intensity of tick-borne diseases at the zoonotic interface in America.

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